The Sweetest Thing
by Nesserz
Summary: Ginny takes a summer job at Honeyduke’s in Hogsmeade. Harry develops a sweet tooth, but not all is perfect, 'evil' lurks on the horizon, determined to ruin the two teenagers holiday.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Wow guys, it's been a loooong time since I sat down and wrote a chaptered fic. At least, that's what it feels like. But for the past few weeks I've been writing this new story of mine, which I decided to treat you all too before I actually finished it. I normally never do that. But at this point, I only have one more chapter to write, so I figure that's ok. grins

As for the idea: I took/borrowed/used, what-have-you this: _'Ginny gets a summer job at Honeydukes and upon discovering this, Harry finds all sorts of excuses to visit and must find a way to tell her he thinks she's the sweetest thing.'_ from Sadi who can be found over at FictionAlley and I made this! The story deviates from that quite a lot as it's actually been in production for over oh I don't know, about two years. I can hardly believe it myself. But what with finishing my last year of school, I didn't have a whole lot of time on my hands to write - now, I do.

So without further ado:

**The Sweetest Thing **

**Prologue. **

"Oh I'm so nervous! What if we don't make a good impression?" A stout woman standing in the middle of Honeydukes Sweetshop asked her husband who was stacking shelves as she watched him.

Marvin Honeyduke looked down at his wife from the ladder he was standing on, a heavy box in his hand. "Don't suppose you could give us a hand here could you dear?" he asked as he struggled to keep the box in his hands. His wife bustled over and stood beneath him and steadied the ladder, still carrying on.

"What if no one answers our advertisement? It wasn't as showy as the other ones. I told you we should have opted for a flashing title and coloured lettering but you wouldn't listen to me. I said we should--"

Marvin was relieved when his wife stopped fussing upon hearing the bell above the shop door jingle in its merry little way.

"Oh my goodness! Look at me, I'm a fright!" she tittered as she brushed imaginary dirt from her apron that was adorned with the symbol that was their business. 'Honeydukes: Try them, then buy them!' was stamped across the front of it in neat, cursive script, a Sugar Quill overlapping the 'H'. Marvin smiled. He and Anna had designed the aprons themselves, many years ago.

"Anna dear, it isn't us that are being interviewed, remember? We aren't the ones that need to make an impression," he said, offering her an encouraging smile and she calmed herself down at once.

"Of course, of course. I'm being silly. Come in dear!" she called out as she walked toward the front of the shop where a girl who looked to be around age sixteen or seventeen was standing, looking slightly nervous, but in awe of all the sweets that surrounded her.

"Hello," she said, extending her hand and looking around at all the shelves covered from floor to ceiling in all the wizarding sweets that the Wizarding world had laid claim to. "I feel like it's been years since I've been here and it was only last May!" she said as she shook hands with both Marvin and Anna.

"What's your favourite sweet?" Anna asked her, taking on a serious expression that the girl wasn't sure was genuine or if she was having a lend of her. Either way, she knew how to answer.

"Why, Sugar Quills of course. As my brother always says, 'They're the best because you can suck on them in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next'. Of course, I rarely agree with my brother, but on this occasion, he's perfectly right," she said, looking Anna in the eye, a small smile on her face.

"Oh brilliant answer! Marvin! Did you hear that?" she asked him, looking positively thrilled at the girl's answer. "Is she hired?" she asked and began bouncing on her feet, deciding that she liked the girl very much already. The girl hadn't missed this either but was trying to control her excitement. It didn't look as though she was going to have to pull out all of the stops for this job.

"Control yourself dear," Marvin answered, smiling first at his wife then at his likely to be new employee. "Why do you want this job?" he asked her, very interested in her reply, due to the fact that her last one had clearly surprised him.

"Why?" the girl asked, as though it were a stupid question. "Honeydukes is the one shop that everyone, young and old, good and evil, tall and short, fat and thin--I think you understand what I'm trying to say." She began again. "I think Honeydukes has a sort of distinct feel about it. Who wouldn't like to work here? I'd love to be the envy of all my friends and family - anyone would. I think it would be a privilege to work here, after all, not many people can say that they work at Honeydukes can they? That is of course, assuming that I am a suitable candidate for the job." she finished, biting her lip as though feeling she'd said too much.

"Young lady, you've certainly convinced me!" Marvin said as he laughed heartily at the pleased look on the girl's face as she took in the praise for her comments. "Tell me, did you rehearse that, or did you come up with it on the spot?"

"On the spot sir," she said, a pleasant smile upon her face.

"I assumed so," he said as he looked down at what she was wearing for the first time.

She was dressed in a faded pair of blue jeans, the left knee was almost completely through and he noticed that they seemed far too long for her as he couldn't make out her shoes properly, except for the toes which were badly scuffed. On the top half of her body, she wore a plain t-shirt, blue in color and he wasn't quite sure, but it seemed to be two sizes too big for her. The girl noticed him looking her over and smiled, somewhat awkwardly.

"I would have changed, only I thought I might have some competition for the job," she muttered, looking uncomfortable.

"What you have on is fine. I was just thinking about my childhood actually. You remind me of me when I was your age," he said as he went glassy eyed for a moment.

"Ignore him when he gets like that dear," Anna said as she handed the girl a Mint Humbug and popped one into her mouth at the same time.

The girl didn't want to ignore either of these people. They were just lovely and she dearly hoped that they would hire her, if not; she would come back often because of how generous and kind they were. She could just tell by looking at them that they had many interesting stories to tell. She hoped to hear at least one of them. She had taken to wandering around the shop as Marvin and his wife spoke in hushed whispers behind the counter of the shop, shooting her glances. When she caught Anna's eye, she smiled and Anna smiled brightly back at her.

She stopped by a display of Sugar Quills and smiled gently. If she got the job, she'd buy her brother a box to say thank you. She didn't know where she'd come up with her comment, but she was mighty proud of herself though she couldn't take all of the credit. As far as her brother was concerned, Sugar Quills would be good enough recognition.

* * *

"Well this all seems to be in order," Marvin said looking at his wife for her approval. She was smiling widely, her cheeks ruddy as she beamed at the girl in front of them. Marvin nodded his consent to her and smiling more widely and clasping her hands together, his wife spoke.

"After some careful consideration, we've decided that...you've got the job! Congratulations dear!"

"Thank you ever so much! I knew I was right for this job the moment that I saw the advertisement in the _Prophet_." The girl answered, her chin held in the air slightly, seeming to be trying to give herself a professional air but she was grinning which ruined the otherwise perfect effect.

"Can you start on Monday?" Marvin asked, feeling slightly wary that they had decided the first person who applied for the job.

"I certainly can!" she said excitedly and seeming to remember she was a professional, she dropped her smile and added. "I mean...that would be...fine," she said and Marvin laughed.

"No need for fancy words here. Just be yourself. We wanted someone young to work with us over the summer as we aren't as young as we used to be and this old place could do with some sprucing up don't you think?"

"I come here every Hogsmeade visit and I love what you've done with the place. You aren't going to spruce it too much are you?" she asked, biting her lip and looking worried.

"Don't worry, nothing too drastic," Anna answered, giving her husband a very hard stare. One that said quite plainly that he was to run any restorations by her first.

"I think everything is order. We shall see you Monday dear,"

"I look forward to it," the girl called as she practically skipped toward the door and had opened it with a jangle of the bell before Marvin called her back.

"Forgive me young lady, but what is your name?"

The girl clapped a hand to her forehead, clearly embarrassed though she shook it off immediately. She spoke again, a wide smile on her face. "Oh how silly of me. I should have introduced myself properly. I'm Ginny Weasley."

* * *

A/N: Not to be the pesky author, but it would be nice if you guys reviewed, it's always nice to find out what people think of what I'm writing and I'm especially proud of this story, so feedback would be lovely. Thank you. ) 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Same old, same old.

A/N: I thought I'd take this opportunity to mention that whilst this story adheres to some canon, it's not exactly as cannon-ey as it could be. I understand if someone wants to hit me for the 'cannon-ey' comment.

'Tis just a nice little story to be enjoyed by all, and whilst it doesn't adhere directly to canon, still worth the read, I'd say.

* * *

_The Sweetest Thing_

_Chapter 1_

* * *

"Hermione, can't we just…relax a little. Merlin knows we aren't going to get to do that after the summer is over. A day or two won't hurt will it?" Ron wheedled as he removed his arm from across his eyes to look at his friend.

"I don't recall asking you to do anything Ron, by all means, continue to lie there like the sloth that you are." she said as she turned the page rather abruptly.

"I am _not_ a sloth," Ron said, clearly insulted, sitting up, stretching one leg in front of him and resting his arm on the other, pulling it toward himself. Hermione merely grinned.

"Nice to know some things never change," Harry said as he shredded a piece of grass, smiling slightly at his two best friends as they continued to talk amongst themselves.

'A change is as good as a holiday," Hermione said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Indeed," Ginny said as she approached the group, tying a purple apron around her waist, and grinning at the trio sitting in the grass.

"Oi, bring me back some Pepper Imps," Ron said, tossing a few coins toward his sister, who caught them and dropped them into the pocket on the front of her uniform.

"Since you asked so nicely, of course." Ginny said, making a face at her brother, but smiling all the same. "Well," Ginny said, suddenly looking very uncomfortable, "I just came out to say good morning. I'll see you later."

"Have a good day at work Ginny, we'll see you tonight."

"'Bye Hermione...Harry," Ginny said, nodding politely at Harry as she lifted her hand in a wave and turned back towards the Burrow.

Harry sighed, "Later Ginny," he said as he plucked viciously at a particular piece of grass that had been sitting there minding its own business. "So," he said quickly, noticing Hermione open her mouth to speak, "found anything interesting?" he asked, indicating to the tome sitting in her lap.

"No, not yet. I think I'm getting close though; there is mention in here about splitting one's soul. It's very gruesome actually,"

"What's wrong with gruesome?" Ron asked, yawning.

"Nothing. I was just making an observation. Much like another one. Harry, you and Ginny really should--"

"Really should what Hermione?"

"Just…talk to her alright? You two need to clear the air. You tiptoe around one another; you're so polite it's getting rather sickening,"

"Oh well thank you for your observations," Harry said sarcastically. "You think I haven't noticed any of that? What's there to talk about, she knows where we stand."

"Maybe so, but you can't keep acting like you're mere…acquaintances." She said, waving her hands around, in an attempt to prove her point.

"And what do you think?" Harry asked, rounding on Ron, who had been staring after his sister. His head snapped toward Harry and his eyes widened.

"Don't look at me mate; I don't have an opinion, none at all."

Harry sighed and stood, walking back toward the Burrow, choosing to ignore Hermione's pleas to 'come back'.

"Oh you're a real help, you are," she said to Ron, glaring at him.

"It's not our place. If they want to sort things out, they will. They're not your responsibility to fix, Hermione," he said gently, laying a large hand on her shoulder.

She hung her head and when she spoke again, it was quietly and dejectedly. "I know, it's just that I've never seen the two of them so happy than when they were together,"

"I know, but Harry's noble and Ginny's too proud to show how she feels," he shrugged. "There's not a whole lot we can do, but be there for the both of them. Things are only going to get harder, we all know that. We need each other."

"When did you get so wise?" Hermione asked, sniffling at Ron's words.

He shrugged. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before you rubbed off on me," He laughed as she tried to swat him on the arm.

"Come on, time for lunch, I'm sure Mum's cooked up a storm. Lunch is great when you and Harry are here." He said, extending his hand to help her up. She took it, carelessly dropping the book she'd been reading into his awaiting hands, and smirked at the 'oof!' of pain Ron made as they walked back to the Burrow.

* * *

"That'll be...two sickles and three knuts, thank you," Ginny said, smiling at the customer standing in front of her, as they rummaged through their money bag. "Have a nice day," she said as they paid and left the shop, the bells above the shop door tinkling merrily.

Sighing happily, Ginny looked at her surroundings. Sweets covered every surface of the small shop. Shelves of Sugar Quills assaulted her eyes to her right, Blood and Acid Pops were in barrel's to her left, an assortment of every flavour of chocolate imaginable stood directly in front of her.

Needless to say, Ginny Weasley loved her job. She'd been lucky enough to win over the Honeyduke's and secure herself a summer job at their fine establishment. She thought it came down to pure luck, her Mother said it was her charm, her father said it was because she had charisma. Fred and George said it was because the Honeyduke's were just desperate and felt sorry for her. She didn't like their reasoning as much as she liked her mother and father's.

She'd been working in her job for three weeks, enjoying every moment of it before Harry had come along. Now she found her thoughts wandering back to him when she was supposed to be sweeping the floor, or dusting the shelves. She didn't admit it to anyone of course; she didn't want them to think that she was pining away over the boy living just down the hall from her. She wasn't really, no not at all. Not...pining. Anything but pining.

She was glad she had her job that was she was able to escape each day, and avoid running into Harry around every corner. That was bad enough on weekends when she didn't have to work. Ever since Dumbledore's funeral, she and Harry hadn't spoken about themselves, they'd just spoken to each other whenever need be, overly politely as far as Hermione had pointed out to Ginny on countless occasions.

They seemed to have come to a mutual agreement to be civil to one another, no matter how much it appeared to be hurting them.

"What did those Acid Pops do to you, dear?" Mrs. Honeyduke asked gently, touching Ginny on the shoulder, making her jump slightly.

"Sorry? Oh. Oh! Nothing, nothing at all. I was just...dusting," Ginny answered lamely, laughing falsely at the older lady.

"What's his name?" she asked, popping a boiled sweet into her mouth, and licking her fingers.

Ginny smiled. "What makes you think I'm thinking about a boy?" she asked, curious as to the answer.

"Isn't it always?" she said wiggling her eyebrows. "I remember being your age. I also remember thinking that the male population was there to ruin my life," she said, chuckling fondly.

Ginny grinned. "And they ruin it and then give you a look like a puppy that's just destroyed the house. The look that says "What, what did I do?" she said, adopting a low voice. Mrs. Honeyduke laughed.

"You seem to know what you're talking about."

"You learn a lot living with six brothers,"

"My goodness, I'm sure you would. Well, for what it's worth dear, I'm sure he's hurting just as much as you are, even if he doesn't show it."

"Is it bad that I hope he is?" Ginny asked in a small voice.

"Not at all, we can't help how we feel. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it's not. It's not something that we can control. We feel how we feel." she said, straightening up a display of Giggling Gargoyles. "Why don't you go home early today? There aren't many customers." Mrs. Honeyduke said, taking the magical duster from Ginny's hands, it illiciting a squeak of relief, having been held too tight by Ginny throughout her cleaning.

"Well...if you're sure, I mean, if it's alright."

"Of course. Why don't you treat yourself to some famous Honeyduke's chocolate whilst you're at it? Guaranteed to make one feel better, under any circumstances," she said, waving a block under Ginny's nose. She laughed lightly.

"Don't mind if I do, thank you, Mrs. Honeyduke. I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early, good night." Ginny said as she tucked the offered chocolate into her apron and prepared to Floo home using the shop's Fireplace.

"Goodnight Ginny, darling."

"She looked rather sad, dearest, what ever was the matter?" Mr Honeyduke asked, coming up behind his wife.

"A matter of the heart I'm afraid."

* * *

By the time Ginny arrived home, everyone was sitting in the living room, due to the fact that her mother hadn't served up any food yet, as it appeared they were waiting for her.

"Ginny! You're early, the roast isn't even half cooked yet." her mother said, as she kissed her daughter on the cheek in greeting.

"Oh I got let off early, it's alright, and I'm not that hungry, I'm happy to wait."

"_You _might not be hungry, but some of us are." Ron said from his spot in the living room.

"Oh and I'm sure you haven't eaten all day," she answered him dryly, walking in to join him and the others, untying her apron and pulling over her head, she draped it over the side of the couch.

"How was your day, Ginny? Busy?" Hermione asked her, looking up at her over a ball of yarn she was dangling for Crookshanks.

"Actually, no, there were hardly any customers. Quite dead really. Probably because there's no kids from school to be buying them out of stock," Ginny said, frowning at how few customers there really had been.

"Quite right."

"So. What did you all get up to today whilst I was slaving away in a sweet shop?" Ginny asked smiling sweetly at Ron, how she loved lording her job over him. He smiled sarcastically at her.

"We didn't do much of anything really, just the way summer's supposed to be. Work free."

"What I do is hardly work, Ron. By the way, for you brother dearest." she said, tossing him a packet of Pepper Imps which he caught after they hit Crookshanks in the head. The cat hissed at him, baring its teeth.

"Gee, thanks Ginny. You're a real pal."

"Don't you know it." she said, standing up and picking up her apron. "I'm going to freshen up before dinner. Call me when it's ready," she said, heading up the stairs, her footfalls rather heavy.

Harry, who had been sitting in the window seat, looked after her but didn't say anything. He saw Hermione looking at him pointedly and rolling his eyes, spoke. "What is it Hermione?"

"She misses you Harry," she said quietly.

Harry swallowed and looked back out the window, choosing not to answer her.

* * *

Later that night found the four friends sitting around the living room spread out as far as they could get, due to the heat of the summer night. Harry and Ron were playing Chess, Hermione was reading and Ginny fanned herself with the _Evening Prophet_.

"It's so _hot_," she said, sticking out her tongue to prove her point.

"Oh how observant of you," Ron said sarcastically.

"Well it was something to say, it's too quiet in here," Ginny said standing up and flicking on the wireless and twisting the dial before she happened on a station with music.

She danced around, shaking her bum in Ron's face, just to annoy him, not realising her shirt was riding up in the process as she waved her hands around above her head.

"Ginny get out of it, and put some clothes on, we really don't want to see any more of your skin than we have too."

Without realising it, Ginny's eyes flicked to Harry's which she realised his eyes were on her waist, taking in the sight of a large amount of her flat stomach. She let out a noise of surprise and his eyes snapped to hers and they both blushed simultaneously.

"Right. Clothes. On. Yes. No. Ok." she stammered, and headed up to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. "Oh my goodness." she let out in a rush of air. "Oh, oh oh. How embarrassing."

Hearing a knock on her door, she jumped and leant off of it and opened it a crack. "Yes?" she asked cautiously. She didn't know what she'd do if it were Harry.

"Ginny, it's just me, let me in?"

Hermione. Breathing a sigh of relief Ginny opened the door further. "Avada Kedavra me would you please?" Ginny asked, flopping dramatically onto her bed.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ginny. I like you far too much to do that to you," Hermione said grinning. It subsided soon enough though to be replaced with a look of sympathy. "That was rather..."

"Embarrassing? Horrifyingly, terrible? Astronomically damaging? Mentally Scarr--"

"I'm glad you haven't lost your sense of...humour throughout the last month."

"Humour! This is in no way funny Hermione!"

"You're being very dramatic."

Ginny sighed. "I know, it's just easier than coping with it rationally. Ooo how am I going to look him in the eye after this?"

"Well to be honest, when was the last time you looked him in the eye properly anyway?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised.

"I--possibly...the train ride home," Ginny mumbled.

"Ginny!" Hermione admonished and Ginny jumped, feeling very jittery lately.

"Merlin, what?"

"Harry's been here three weeks now, and you haven't looked at him since five weeks ago?"

"That would be correct, yes."

"How is that even possible?"

"Quite simple really, walk around with your head down, and it's a piece of cake."

"Ginny...he's hurting too, you know. You should talk to him."

"About what? The weather? Whatever it is you three are always whispering about?"

"He'd tell you, you know."

Ginny sighed. "I know. But I'm not sure I really want to know. All this secrecy, it can't be anything good."

"Well, no, it's not."

"There you go. I just want to enjoy my summer as best I can. Working in the best job ever, spending time with my friends and not having to worry about what might have been."

"But you are worrying about it, no matter what you try to tell me."

"You're very persistent you know that don't you? It could be seen as meddling too." Ginny said airily, pulling a jumper from a drawer. "What do you think?" she said as she put it on and it fell to her below her knees. "It was Bill's." she said as way of explanation.

"It's excellent if it were winter. But as it's not, _take it off._ Ginny, it's near boiling point, you'll melt."

Ginny 'hmphed' and tugged the jumper off and tossed it onto the end of her bed. "If you'll excuse me Hermione, I believe I shall wallow in my existence. In my room. Far away from Harry."

Hermione rolled her eyes and stood up. "Alright. I'll talk to you later. You shouldn't hide away from your problems you know."

"I didn't hide, I ran." Ginny said, giggling as Hermione tossed a pillow at her as she left the room.

Adopting a serious look, Ginny sighed, still slightly mortified by what had happened down stairs, and remembering the look on Harry's face, she blushed and buried her face in her pillow.

* * *

A/N: I realised that the prologue was a bit lacking, so I thought I'd upload this chapter now, instead of waiting a few more days. Let me know what you think, everyone.

Nesserz.


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 2

* * *

"Fancy a game of Quidditch you two?" Ron asked later that week, fed up with staying inside of the house, doing nothing but watching Hermione read through a bunch of books with strange titles such as _You want to delve into the Dark Arts? You've come to the right place. _He often wondered about the people that came up with the titles of such books. He raised his eyebrow at his sister and best friend, awaiting an answer.

"Sure, why not." Ginny said, standing up and stretching, careful not to stretch too much, for fear there might be a repeat of the other night.

"Yeah, ok." Harry answered at the same time. Ginny smiled hesitantly at him, obviously thinking he was going to turn down Ron's offer.

"Great! Let's go. Now." Ron said, clapping his hands together and closing Hermione's book, pulled her to her feet amidst protests.

* * *

"Must you drag me like some...some _animal_?" Hermione asked, wrenching her arm from Ron's grasp as the two of them walked ahead of Harry and Ginny towards the Weasley's broom shed.

"Sorry," he said quickly, putting his hands in his pockets. "I just wanted to get out of the house before either of those two tried to make an excuse to avoid Quidditch,"

"It's all about Quidditch for you isn't it Ron?" Hermione asked, rolling her eyes, but he could tell she was amused.

"No, it's about avoiding boredom, and Quidditch is perfect for that. That and there's something about playing evening Quidditch that's exhilarating."

"Exhilarating hmm? Well, well, well."

"Don't start." Ron said, laughing as he took his broom from the shed and handed Ginny's to Hermione. "You gonna have a game with us?"

"Just like always, no thank you. I'm quite happy just to watch,"

"Weakling."

"Brains are far better than brawn, thank you very much." she said as she closed the shed door for Ron as he carried their brooms out to the makeshift pitch.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and Ron was almost wishing he was on the ground with Hermione. Not reading like she was, but just on the ground. He was watching Harry and Ginny awkwardly trying to take it in turns with shooting the Quaffle to him.

First, Ginny threw it to Harry so badly that it over shot it's mark by several feet and Harry had to go flying after it, and in the process nearly fell from his broom which was saying something as Ron had seem him make much more spectacular saves in his Quidditch career at Hogwarts. It was quite unnerving what his sister could do to a bloke.

Then, the both of them made a dive for the Quaffle and banged heads, and returned to playing height moaning in pain and muttering apologies to the other. Ron looked down at Hermione, an exasperated look on his face, that didn't go unnoticed by her and she shrugged back at him.

After the third time Harry had dropped the Quaffle after having Ginny pass it to him, Ron left the pitch muttering about incompetent players. Hovering in mid air, Harry and Ginny looked after him and soon realised he wasn't coming back. Scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably, Harry turned to face Ginny, only to see that she was looking anywhere but at him.

"Er. I don't think he's coming back," he said, for lack of anything better to say to fill the silence.

"Doesn't look like it," she said, drumming her fingers on her broom handle.

"Right. So. Want to keep playing?" he asked, pushing his glasses up on his nose. Ginny grimaced; she knew he did this when he was uncomfortable.

"Um. Not really, no. Work tomorrow and all. It's getting late."

"Right. 'Course. Shall we head in then?"

"Alright."

The two of them headed to the ground and walked toward the broom shed in silence, finally Harry had had enough. He had to make conversation.

"So. How's your job going?"

"Fine I suppose. There's sweets everywhere, nothing to complain about." Ginny said shrugging, looking sideways at him.

"Right. Course."

"How's...your...summer going? Good to be away from the Dursley's?" Ginny could have kicked herself; of course it was good to be away from the Dursley's.

"It's good. Don't miss them too much," he said, smiling lopsidedly. Ginny nodded.

They arrived at the broom shed to find Ron had left his broom leaning against the wall instead of bothering to put it away. "Typical," Ginny muttered as she stowed it away with her broom, and held out her hand for Harry's without thinking first. Their hands brushed and the two of them jumped.

"Oh. Sorry," they said at the same time. Ginny put Harry's broom next to Ron's and shut the door behind her and turned around and nearly walked into Harry.

"Look, Ginny --" he said, reaching out a hand to her, perhaps to put on her shoulder, she didn't know. He soon pulled it back and ran it through his hair instead. "We...we need to talk. About...this," he said waving his hand around between them.

"What's there to say, really? Nothing has changed since...you know."

"I know it hasn't. Well it has. You and me...we can hardly look at each other. It hasn't been like that in years Ginny. It...well it--"

"Sucks." Ginny sighed. She felt like she was doing that a lot lately and it bothered her. "It's hard Harry, how are we supposed to go back to being friends?"

"I don't know. But we have to try. I need you...and Ron and Hermione. I can't be without you, any of you."

"I thought that's what you wanted; you told me we couldn't be together, how is being my friend any different?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'm being selfish; I just know that I can't keep being so ridiculously polite to you. It's driving me crazy."

"I always knew you were a rude boy deep down Harry Potter."

"See! I need that; I need your sense of humor, your ability to turn anything into a joke,"

"One of my talents."

"One of many. Ginny please, can we be friends again?"

"I--sure Harry. I'd like that. Being moody and disturbed takes far too much energy. I don't know how you do it," Ginny said, laughing at the appalled look on Harry's face as she began back to the Burrow. Harry sighed with relief and followed her back, falling into step with her as they reached the Burrow.

* * *

The next day found Ginny dancing around in her room getting ready for work with a particular bounce in her step. Hermione rolled over on her cot to look at the younger girl through one eye and a bush of hair.

"What's got you so happy?"

"Life. Life is particularly good."

"Ginny," Hermione deadpanned. "Not to rain on your parade, but we're in the middle of a war, life is not good."

"Aw Hermione, don't be a spoil sport. Details."

"Deta--You spoke to Harry didn't you?" she asked, sitting up in her bed, brushing her hair out of her face, rather awake now.

"Harry? Who's this Harry you speak of? Ouch! Quit it!" She giggled as Hermione hit her in the bum with a pillow.

"Hey Gin, Mum said to tell you breakfast--" Ron said walking into the room. "--is ready." he said, pulling a pillow from his face.

"Ron. Ron! Oh get _out_!" Hermione yelled, pulling her comforter up over her head.

Ginny watched the exchange amused, as Ron stared at her. "Was that Hermione _before_ a brush makes it to her hair?" he asked, smirking.

"I said get out! Ginny make him leave," came the muffled voice of the two wizard's friend. Ron backed out of the doorway laughing. "Breakfast," he said to his sister as he left muttering about not having a camera.

"Gotta leave it to this house. Things are always interesting," Ginny said as she left Hermione to get ready for breakfast.

* * *

Ginny headed downstairs, skipping every second stair, grabbed a piece of toast from the table, and muttered a 'Good morning' to everyone at the breakfast table before taking a pinch of Floo powder and stepping into the Weasley's fireplace.

"Morning," Harry called back, laughing at the hurry she appeared to be in. Looking up from his bacon, he saw Ron staring at him from across the table. "What?" he said around a mouthful.

"You two sorted things out then did you?" he asked, pretending not to be overly interested, though Harry knew he was. Harry merely grinned.

"I reckon we did, yeah."

"Brilliant. Maybe now she'll be back to her old self. A mopey Ginny is like living with...well no offense mate, but you." Ron ducked as Harry threw a piece of toast at him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I didn't like seeing her unhappy either. Well all things considered, things are better between us."

"I'm happy for you mate, and for her. Try not to hurt her again though, alright?" Ron said, though his tone was light, Harry knew he meant what he said.

Hermione joined the table not two minutes after Ginny had made her hurried entrance, looking rather calmer than when Ron had last seen her.

"Mornin'," he greeted her, around a mouthful of toast. She nodded to him as she buttered herself a Muffin.

"Good morning you two. I trust you slept well?"

Ron snorted. "Sure, as did you, by the looks of your hair this morning. I see you've managed to tame the wild beast." he received a withering glare in response.

"I could make comments about your physical appearance but I choose not too,"

"Hey, what's wrong with my appearance? Fleur told me I'm rather dashing y'know,"

"Oh did she now? Did she tell you this after witnessing you drool in your sleep?" Hermione asked innocently to which Harry covered up a laugh as a coughing fit.

"I do _not _drool in my sleep," Ron said, clearly affronted. Leaning close to Harry and cupping his hand to his mouth, he whispered, "Do I?" Harry just snorted into his Pumpkin juice.

Hermione buttered her toast, looking mighty pleased with herself. "So. I have to meet Prof--Remus in the Village today. He said he has a book that I might find of interest." she said, giving Harry a pointed look.

"Really? A book about--?" Harry asked as he looked at Ron to see what he thought but only saw him fold his arms across his chest like a five year old child, still offended by Hermione's comment.

"Yes. A book about _them._"

"A book. Well don't bowl us over with anything interesting, will you?" Ron said, standing up to clear the table.

"Did we ask for you input?" Hermione snapped suddenly. "Look," she said, taking a breath and ignoring Ron, "I need to meet Remus in the Village at ten o'clock. I thought we could go down early and have a look around whilst we're down there if you wanted."

"Sure. Sounds good. Let's get going shall we? Best be on time to meet Remus, I'm sure he has other things to be doing with his time."

"Where do we have to meet him?" Ron asked, Hermione who looked slightly surprised.

"The Little Lodge I think he called the place. Said we can't miss it."

Ron nodded. "That's the place Fred and George used to go during the summers to meet girls. Said there are some real lookers in the town. Muggles though." he said, making a face.

"What's wrong with Muggles Ron?" Hermione asked, her nose raised into the air slightly.

"Nothing, just have to be careful what we say though, y'know what wizards are like, it's hard not to talk about Magical things when they're around."

"You should know better than to talk about Magic when around Muggles!"

"I do, I do, just saying...anyway, let's get going."

"Oh you're all for it now I see, Muggle girls involved and all."

"Yes, yes Hermione, I'm a teenage boy, all I ever think about is girls. I have a one track mind."

"I'd agree with the one track mind thing, but I'd have said it were devoted to food." she said with a nasty look in his direction. Ron opened his mouth but Harry beat him to it.

"Alright then, let's _go._" Harry said, intervening, before the two of them could find anything else to bother the other about.

* * *

The trio walked down the cobbled main street of the Village of Ottery St. Catchpole, looking from left to right, taking in the sights. Hermione pointed out a sweet shop with striped awnings out the front, boiled sweets in the windows, small tables out the front to sit couples. Ron pointed out a picture frame shop, shaking his head, and both Harry and Hermione knew he was marveling at the fact that none of the pictures in the frames were moving.

Harry spotted a book shop before Hermione did, and Ron had to restrain her from entering, pointing out to her via his watch that it was time to meet Remus at the Lodge. Tearing her eyes away from a display of books by Charles Dickens, she nodded and followed Ron in the direction of the Lodge.

Before they had time to look over the Lodge, Remus Lupin called out from a table out the front of the old building. "Harry, Ron, Hermione!" waving them over, the three teenagers greeted their former Professor warmly.

"Join me for a spell won't you?" he asked them and they accepted eagerly. "How have you been, how's your summer so far?" he directed the question at the three of them, but they all knew he meant Harry specifically.

"It's been fine. There's always so much going on at the Burrow," he said, smiling at his friends.

"That's right, Bill and Fleur's wedding is coming up too isn't it?" Remus said, laughing at the look on Ron's face.

"It's coming up alright. Fleur keeps popping over and frightening the living daylights out of Mum, asking her really strange questions like "Beige or Cream." I mean, it's all the same isn't it?" Ron said, shaking his head.

"Unfortunately for us, Ron, it's not all the same. You'd do best not to mention that to Fleur too, come to think of it," Remus said, stirring his tea.

"He won't. He's too busy goggling at her when she's in the room to speak much," Hermione said, sniffing delicately.

"Oh that's bullocks...well mostly. I'm getting better, you have to admit," he said, looking at her.

"Oh yes, so much better in fact, now you can speak in monosyllables when she speaks to you. 'Yes, No, Mrmph.'"

"You're on top form today, you know that?" Ron said, clearly annoyed with her.

"Hermione, that reminds me, I have that book for you, ah. Here we go." Remus pulled out a thick tome from a bag at his feet and plonked it onto the table between Ron and Hermione, shutting the two of them up rather effectively. Harry sent Remus an appreciative look.

"Oh yes, thank you so much. It's just the book I was looking for," she said, tucking it away into the book bag she'd brought with her to the Village, not wanting to flaunt it around incase any Muggles were to read the title.

"My pleasure. May I ask what you wanted it for?" he asked, leaning forwards in his chair to listen to her answer.

"Oh. Well. Just a bit of...light reading. I like to research into different topics in my holidays. I feel like I'm wasting my time otherwise when I could be learning about a number of different things," she said, smiling.

"Of course. It's always good to keep the mind buzzing," Remus said, finishing off his tea. "Well I hate to leave so soon you three, but I have a few errands I have to run. It was lovely to see you, and I shall see you again at the Wedding."

"It was nice to see you Professor," Hermione said, picking up her book bag, struggling slightly under the weight of it.

"Enjoy the rest of your summer!" waving, Remus walked off around the side of the building and they heard a distinct 'Pop' and they knew he'd apparated back to his quarters.

"That went well, didn't it?" Hermione said, as the three of them headed back towards the Burrow from the small Village, smiling and waving to passersby.

"It did. Just promise me Hermione, you won't ever take up a career in lying, you're terrible at it," Harry said laughing as she had the grace to blush.

"I _know_ I'm terrible at it. Especially to Professors, whether they are past or present ones."

"I thought I might go and visit Ginny at Honeydukes, did either of you want to come along?" Harry asked, as they entered the Burrow's front garden.

"Go ahead Harry, I want to get started on this book, I've looked everywhere for it, and --"

"Go mate, before you get bored to tears," Ron said, looking in Hermione's direction, only to see her glaring at him. "Joking! Joking, I promise. I'm all ears," Harry heard him say before he headed to the kitchen.

Harry walked into the Weasley's kitchen only to see Mrs. Weasley with her back turned to him, muttering under her breath.

"Er. Mrs. Weasley?" he called, not wanting to startle her, she whirled around and clapped her hands together.

"Harry dear! Just the person to help me out. Could you possibly pop over to Honeyduke's and give this to Ginny?" she asked, holding up a brown paper full of what Harry was sure was corned beef sandwiches. "I'm terribly busy, trying to learn how to make a French dish for the wedding that Fleur absolutely insists on having, I haven't the time to get over there myself."

"Sure, I was just heading over to see her actually," he said, taking the bag from her.

"That's nice dear but --Oh. Oh! You were? Well I'm glad to hear it. Don't hurry back!" she said, clasping her hands together and smiling at him.

Harry smiled back and stepped into the fireplace and telling Mrs. Weasley he wouldn't be long, he was off in a whirl of green and smoke.

* * *

The bell above the shop door jingled, announcing a customer. Ginny was out back, restocking some shelves. "Just a minute!" she called out, stacking the last of the boxes and climbing down from the ladder she was standing on. "Now," she muttered to herself "What else--?"

"Now would be more preferable if you don't mind," came a voice from out front, at the same time dinging on the service bell on the counter.

Frowning Ginny shoved a box with her foot out of her way and headed out to the front of the shop. "Now see here, buddy, there's no need too -- Harry! What are you doing here?"

"I come bearing gifts. Or more to the point, lunch," he said, handing her the paper bag her mother had given him.

"Does she honestly think I'm going to starve? Here?" she deadpanned, sweeping her hand around them, indicating all the food within the shop.

"Well are you going to eat them, I have the funny suspicion that I'll be asked when I get back if you ate them or not and I'd hate to lie to your mother,"

"I'm terribly busy you see," Ginny said, looking around her and grabbing a mop that leant against the doorway leading to the back storeroom. The mop was bone dry.

"I see."

Ginny laughed. "I really am, but I will eat them, thank you Harry. So. What else brings you here?"

"You. I hope you don't mind. After our talk the other night, I thought it'd be ok."

"Of course it's ok. Want the guided tour?" she asked, flashing him a brilliant grin.

"I've been here many times before, Ginny. I think I know where everything is."

"Ah yes, but you haven't had a Ginny Weasley tour, and it comes free with taste tests," she said, giving him a pleading look. He laughed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Ok, sure, why not. I could use a Sugar Quill or two,"

"Excellent. Right this way, sir," she said as she began to lead him around the shop, stopping often and pointing out particular sweets of interest, almost convincing him to try a sweet looking chocolate bar.

"Those, over there, they aren't _really_ are they?" he said, pointing to a barrel of what was labeled "Hippogriff Talons."

"Um. I'm not sure, to be honest."

"What kind of sales person are you if you don't know what you're selling?"

"I just smile and bat my eyelashes, that usually sells things," she said laughing at the look on his face. "Intelligent conversation usually does the trick too,"

He smiled. "The place doesn't seem to be very busy does it?" he asked, realising that they were the only ones in the shop.

Ginny frowned. "No, it doesn't. I've been wondering about that. I know it's summer holidays and all, but the rest of the businesses seem to be doing well. The Three Broomsticks is always full when I walk past it to go home at night. Just this place seems to be empty a lot."

"The holidays are always a slow time for us Ginny, it's nothing to worry about," came a voice from out back and was soon revealed to be Mr. Honeyduke's.

"That's all, are you sure? I don't mean to pry, it's just that when school's in, it's really hard to even get in the door, and now, well, you see,"

"I won't lie to you, it's harder at this time of year than any other, but the business is doing fine. It's nice to have a break and not be swamped by students from the school most every weekend."

"Oh but we love having young people around though," came Mrs. Honeyduke's voice from behind her husband. "Oh hello there, Ginny, why don't you introduce us to your friend?" she said smiling warmly.

Ginny grinned. "Oh he's nobody really, though you might have heard of him. His name's Harry, he's staying with our family for the summer."

"Harry is it? Not Harry Potter by any chance?" Mr. Honeydukes asked, putting his glasses on to look at Harry properly. "So it is. Nice to meet you, young man," he said, shaking his hand and excusing himself to go back out to the store room.

"You make sure Ginny keeps working won't you Harry? We can't have her slacking off; it would be bad for business." Mrs. Honeyduke said, winking at him and joining her husband again.

"I -- did you -- they barely batted an eyelid at me!" Harry said, shocked beyond belief.

"You need to check your ego. You are far too in love with yourself." Ginny said, stifling a laugh as she walked out back. Harry followed her.

"You know that's not what I mean, it's just. It's nice, not to be gawked at," he said, standing behind her as she climbed the ladder again.

"I know. Hand me that box will you?" she said looking down at him and pointing to a box to his right. Harry obliged and handed it to her.

"I always pictured you as a healer, or something of the sort," Harry said out of the blue to her as she flicked her long hair over her shoulder.

She laughed. "What, you don't think I make an appealing Sweet Shop owner?"

"Well you wear the apron well I suppose, but it tends to clash with you hair," he said indicating the violently purple apron she had adorned.

"Since when have you known anything about fashion? Purple is very in right now, I'll have you know," she said, whirling around so that her hair whipped in front of Harry's face and he caught a whiff of the familiar flowery scent that was Ginny.

"I'm--I'm sure it is." he said, his voice cracking slightly. "Y'know, I'd better head off, I told your Mum I wouldn't be long."

"Oh. Well. Ok. I'll see you later," Ginny said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice as she bade him goodbye. He lifted his hand in a wave as he left and she couldn't help but sigh as she heard the jingle of the front door shutting behind him. Then sighed again when she realised she was sad he'd gone and left so quickly and knew she'd have to face him later back at the Burrow.

* * *

A/N: There we have it folks, another chapter for you. I want to thank those of you who have taken them time to review, it means a lot to me and it's always nice to know what people think of my stories, and my updating abilities, as the case may be. Until next update,

Nesserz.


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 3

* * *

The next week passed without any incident and Harry found that he was enjoying his summer immensely, despite the impending journey he had ahead of him at the end of his summer. He'd spoken to Ron and Hermione about their quest to find the remaining Horcruxes and between the three of them they'd decided that they'd use their summer to research into the matter at hand as much as they could, they'd attend Bill and Fleur's wedding and spend their time with their friends and family before they set off on what could possibly be Harry's last battle with Voldemort. 

Harry knew Ron and Hermione had been shocked when he'd said that he wanted to stick around all summer, but they were grateful for they too, wanted to spend time with their loved ones. Hermione had spent the first few weeks of the holiday with her parents, declining to tell them what she was to embark on when she should have been attending Hogwarts the following year.

Another surprising fact that had found its way to the trio at the Burrow was that Hogwarts was going to open again on September the first, for sixth and seventh year students to attend, as the Ministry, much to Harry's chagrin, thought it would be most beneficial for Hogwarts to open and to teach only those few students. Harry had voiced his opinions regarding the fact that he didn't think parents would even send their children back there. Ginny had decided, however that she would be attending the school no matter what her mother and father said.

"It would be an insult to Dumbledore's memory to abandon the school," she'd said one night at the dinner table, her chin set stubbornly. No one had argued with her. Little did she know that Harry, Ron and Hermione would not be going back. In Harry's opinion, it would be an insult not to continue on with the quest Dumbledore had started.

* * *

Harry found that he'd been making regular visits to see Ginny each day in Hogsmeade and had built up a small stock of sweets in Ron's bedroom in consequence. He didn't want to look as though he were only going to see Ginny, though he knew it were true. They were getting along famously, almost as well as they had before that fateful day that he'd kissed her and the rest had become history.

He found he could make her laugh, and he liked that. She was always making him laugh. Sometimes he could almost forget what he was facing, and he knew it was because of her. She bought about the best in him, he wished he could tell her but he didn't want to make things awkward between them.

It was bad enough if she caught him looking at her for too long when they were in the shop together. Jokingly the other day, Mrs. Honeyduke had come up behind him and placed an apron over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"You're here so often, we might as well hire you too!" she'd said, beaming at him. He'd caught her once or twice, winking at Ginny when she thought he wasn't looking.

On this particular day he'd decided that he was going to ask Ginny to have lunch with him at the Three Broomsticks, he'd like to say hello to Rosmerta as he hadn't seen her since the last term. Just as he was about to voice this to Ginny however, the tell tale jingle above the door chimed and the last person Harry expected to see walked in.

"You! What are you doing here?" he asked, pulling his wand so fast, the person smirked.

"Potter, put it away. There's no need for that here is there? Weasley? How quaint," Draco Malfoy stood inside the shop door, looking Ginny up and down. She glared him and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Explain yourself Malfoy," Harry said, keeping his wand pointed at the person standing in front of him.

"My son does not have to explain himself to anyone, least of all you, Potter," Narcissa Malfoy said, stepping out from behind her son, and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You killed Dumbledore!" Harry said, barely containing his rage.

"I did not Potter, you know very well it was Snape --"

"Only because you were too much of a coward to do it, I saw you. I was there,"

"Under that stupid cloak of yours I presume? Then you do know it was Snape,"

"You were just as guilty. You should be in Azkban."

"The Ministry doesn't think so. They've given me an official pardon. Said it wasn't my fault, that I was hoodwinked. There's an article in the _Evening Prophet_ I believe,"

"So what are you doing here, of all places?" Ginny spoke for the first time, leaning on the front counter of the shop.

"We've come to speak to the ah...the Honeydukes," Malfoy said, striding up to the counter and tapping his finger on the customer service bell, smirking at Ginny the whole time. She glared at him and spun around to find the owners of the shop standing behind her.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy," Mr. Honeyduke said, bowing to the two darkly clad wizards standing in his shop, in stark contrast to all their colourful surroundings.

"What can we do for you?" Mrs. Honeyduke asked, wringing her hands and trying to smile at the two Malfoy's in her shop, but failing and only managing a grimace instead.

"We're here to tell you that we will be buying your shop to knock the pitiful pile down to build one of the finest Wizard dwellings in London,"

"_What_?" Ginny asked, the anger in her voice unmistakable. "You can't do that! This is Honeydukes, you just can't knock this place down," she said, ropeable.

"Oh but we can," Draco said, smirking at her. "The lease runs out on this place the night of the Hogsmeade Fair, as far as I believe and we, the Malfoys," he said, puffing out his chest as he said so, "are going to buy it because we know you two," he aid indicating the husband and wife, now holding one another "are not able to keep the lease up. We shall see you in due time," Malfoy said as he turned and left the shop with his mother in tow.

"Oh the nerve of him!" Ginny said, letting her hands drop from where they'd been on her hips. "He's not telling the truth is he?" she asked, suddenly looking fearful.

"I'm afraid Ginny, that he is--"

"No! The Malfoy's can't ruin Honeydukes. There's got to be a way to...a way to stop them, surely?"

"Unless we can find a way to further the lease on the shop, there's not. And we don't have the money to cover the lease. It's alright Ginny; we've been expecting this for the last few years. The Malfoy's have wanted to buy the shop for the last few years, but we've been able to scrape through with paying the lease."

"But you told me there was nothing to worry about with the lack of customers," Ginny said, looking at a loss.

"We didn't want to worry you dear, you've had such high praise for this place, we just didn't want too ruin your summer. You're such a lovely girl Ginny, we love having you around, we didn't want to lose you any sooner than we had too. We've been a bit selfish."

"Oh," Ginny said before she flung herself at Mrs. Honeyduke who enveloped her in a tight hug.

"There, there Ginny, it's not the end of the world. We can stay open until the Fair at the end of the Summer."

"That's only a few more weeks though! That's not very long," she said, a sad look upon her face.

"It's long enough. We've been doing this for a great many years, and since Hogsmeade visits were cancelled due to poor Katie Bell being injured whilst here, we've been expecting this day. We've had a good run. Now why don't you and Harry go have lunch. I'm sure he's been dying to take you down to Rosmerta's."

"I-Oh, alright, if you're sure,"

"We're sure! We'll survive for an hour or so without you dear,"

* * *

Ginny slammed her Butterbeer down, half of it sloshing onto the table between her and Harry. "How could he just waltz in there like that? Why would he even be interested in something like that? I mean, he's a -- a...well. He's pretty much a Junior Death Eater, what would he want with a building for Merlin's sake? Urgh!" she took a sip of her drink and so did Harry, to spare himself from having to answer.

A mistake he soon noticed as Ginny swallowed her drink and continued on. "He just has to spoil everything. Why can't he stick to himself and impose his presence upon his mother. She's the only one that seems to like the prat. Oh and Parkinson. She seems to like kissing his ars--"

"Ron! Hermione!" Harry interrupted her, waving his friends over.

"You owled? What's this about Malfoy?" Ron asked as he sat down at the table, shoving Ginny over in the booth, though she didn't notice, she just continued muttering curses under her breath.

"He's here. Well he was. He came into Honeyduke's announcing that he's going to demolish it,"

"He can't do that can he Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking at Hermione with desperation in her eyes.

"I don't know Ginny, I don't think there's much that we can do to stop him though, I'm sorry," she said, placing a hand on Ginny's hoping to comfort her.

"I'll stop him, I have too. I can't let the Honeyduke's lose what they've worked so hard for,"

"It's just a shop, Ginny, and besides, you don't want to anger Malfoy," Ron said, taking a swig of his sister's Butterbeer.

"Oh that's rich, coming from you who was always looking to fight him at school," she said, snatching her drink back, only to find it empty.

"That was different. The worst that could have happened to either of us was Detention. We're not at school anymore Ginny, things are different, Malfoy's dangerous," Ron said, frowning.

She sighed. "I know, I just want to be able to do something. To stop him. Humiliate him, anything," she said, swirling the dregs of her Butterbeer around in its bottle.

"He said the Ministry had given him a pardon?" Hermione said, frowning at Harry. He nodded.

"Yeah, and he's walking around like nothing's even happened, high and mighty as ever," Harry said, clenching his fists.

"Well that much hasn't changed then I see," she said, smiling weakly.

"There's nothing we can do about him either," Ron said, sitting back in his seat next to Ginny.

"Is there anything we _can _do about anything?" Ginny asked, clearly annoyed.

"There is something, but you're not going to like it," Ron said, glancing at Hermione who nodded.

"Fleur wants you to have your Bridesmaid dress fitted this evening," she said, looking at Ginny carefully.

"Oh how wonderful," Ginny said sarcastically. "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have to get back to my job at soon to be Honey-rubble," she said, leaving the three friends sitting alone, staring after her.

* * *

"You must stand still!" Fleur said later that evening as Ginny stood in the middle of the Weasley's living room, fidgeting in the dress that Fleur had insisted she wear.

"I am standing still," she said, though she knew she wasn't. She really wasn't in the mood for this.

"Tuck in your stomach," Fleur ordered, and Ginny sucked in her stomach comically and rolled her eyes at Harry who was half reading Quidditch Through the Ages and half sharing looks with Ginny.

Harry thought Ginny looked very nice in her dress, even with her hair tied up in a messy bun, several pieces of hair falling out of it and framing her face. He'd previously asked if this was how she'd planned on wearing it for the wedding. She'd laughed and tugged at a piece of it.

"Of course not. D'you really think Fleur'd let me?" she asked, shaking her head, making more of her hair come lose.

"So it's 'Fleur' now is it?" Harry asked, grinning.

Ginny shrugged. "She treats Bill well. I didn't know her before. It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind Harry," she'd said, twirling around on the spot, watching the skirt of her dress flow out around her. She giggled. "Oh, I remember dressing up when I was little, and pretending I was getting married. It's so _weird_ to be actually dressed like this for real," she said, smoothing her hands over the smooth material of the dress.

"It suits you," Harry had said, training his eyes on her face and nowhere else.

"Yeah, I s'pose it does. I had nightmares that Fleur was going to stick me in some puffy pink thing," she said shuddering. Harry laughed.

"She's really not that bad is she? I always thought she was a bit...stuffy,"

Ginny laughed. "Ron doesn't think so. He's irritating Hermione quite a bit, what with his vacant expressions around her."

"Y'know, sometimes I think he just does it _to_ annoy her on purpose."

"Oh I don't doubt that. It works rather well though, doesn't it?" Ginny said, looking over at Hermione who was reading through the book she'd gotten from Remus and scowling over the top of it at Ron who was now trying to teach Fleur how to play Chess.

"Oh I do not get it. Zis ess a very clever game Ronald, and you are very good at it." she said, flashing him a brilliant smile, one of which he returned and glanced at Hermione out the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, it works well alright," Harry said laughing as Hermione huffed and hitched her book up in front of her face.

* * *

"How are you feeling Ginny?" Hermione asked later that night when the two girls were in Ginny's room, Hermione reading in bed and Ginny brushing her hair.

"I'm fine, though, I can still feel where Mum stuck me with that pin," she said, feeling her backside but grinning.

"You seem in better spirits than you were this afternoon when we saw you," Hermione said tentatively.

"I know. I thought about it, and there's nothing much I can do, just like everyone said. I just wish Malfoy would keep his nose out of other people's business, that's all."

"Don't we all. I'm sorry he's back, but it's best if we just ignore him,"

"What, and he'll go away? You know as well as I do Hermione, that that has never worked."

"Yes, well. I was always taught to ignore people who treated me badly."

"That's why you slapped him in your third year, then?" Ginny asked, snorting none too delicately.

"I--who told you that?"

"Harry, who else? Though actually, Ron did mention it too. Should have heard him, "That Hermione, she's bloody scary sometimes, but she just keeps getting more brilliant," Quite annoying really, the way he goes on about you," Ginny said, squealing when Hermione threw a pillow at her.

"How are things with you and Harry?" Hermione asked pointedly, hoping to get the topic of conversation away from herself.

"Things are...great actually. He's helping out at the shop too which halves my workload. It's nice."

"Just nice?"

"Yes, just nice," Ginny said, determined not to let Hermione know what she was really feeling.

"Hmm. I'm sure. Night Ginny,"

"'G'night Hermione,"

* * *

"Ginny lift your head up! No looking at your feet, we can't have that." Fleur said, wringing her hands, as she stood in the middle of the Burrow's garden. "Oh zees es impossible!"

Fleur had decided that possibly the hottest day of the summer would be the perfect time for a dress rehearsal. Ginny was standing in her dress and trainers, as they hadn't quite gotten around to finding her shoes yet. She couldn't say she was terribly upset at this prospect.

"Oh Ginny please, keep still,"

"I -can't. This - dress - is - ITCHY!" she said, hitching up the large skirt of it and attempting to scratch her leg. "Fleur, it's the heat. Why can't we practice at night or something? This is nuts--"

"Ginny! You are ze greatest sister in law I could hope for!" Fleur came running at her and Ginny, quite terrified, shielded her face, only to discover Fleur hugging her, then kissing each of her cheeks. "Zis is perfect! A twilight wedding. Ohh I must tell Bill!"

Ginny stood in the middle of the garden, and gaped. Harry walked over to her and she shook her head. "Help me with this, will you?" she said indicating the zip on the back of her dress, moving her ponytail out of his way.

"Er. Sure. So you managed to waylay the bride to be, I see,"

"Apparently I did," she said as she slipped the dress off her shoulders, Harry turning away. She laughed. "It's ok Harry, I've got clothes on underneath, I wanted to be able to take the crazy thing off as soon as possible."

"Oh. Right," did she sense disappointment as Harry turned back to see her dressed in a small Chudley Cannon's shirt and cut-off shorts. Clearly the shirt had been one of her brother's when they'd been young, it was very small. And short, he noted as he tried to fight down a blush.

"Eet is official!" Fleur said, appearing at Ginny's side again, "Bill and I are to be wed at twilight, Ginny! It was all your doing. For that, I think we will have to redesign your dress, would you like that?"

Ginny laughed, amused by her brother's fiancée's excitement. "Whatever you'd like, Fleur," she said, draping her dress over her arm and following her inside, looking back at Harry over her shoulder and shrugging.

Harry shook his head, bemused by all the excitement of the upcoming wedding and made his way over to where Ron and Hermione were talking quietly.

"--then this big, bright light joins the rings together, and well...that's it really. Then you're married."

"The way you describe such beauty Ron, and make it sound no more exciting than Flobberworms, astounds me," Hermione said, laughing as Ron shoved her playfully.

"I astound you do I?" he said, grinning and she nodded, laughing still.

"Ron was just detailing Wizarding Wedding traditions to me," she said as Harry sat down with them, nodding.

"So I see. Should be a new experience for us then," Harry said looking around the garden that was beginning to take shape for the wedding ceremony, that now, according to Fleur, was to be held at night instead. That was something different too, Harry thought.

He was most looking forward to the guests that would be attending. He knew quite a few of the Order members would be attending, due to the fact that half of the Weasley's were in the Order, anyway, and it was an excuse to forget the troubling times ahead, those in the near future, and those in the not too distant future, such as the destruction of Honeyduke's sweet shop.

Ginny was doing her best to stay positive for the Wedding preparations, and sometimes managed to forget about the impending demolition and enjoyed herself as she sat amongst Fleur and her Mother discussing desserts and menu choices. Now that she'd been the one to bring about the idea of a twilight wedding, she felt even more included, and found herself looking forward to it.

It certainly took her mind off things. Such as how it was only mere weeks now before the Hogsmeade Fair. She'd been 'spring' cleaning the shop to make it presentable for the night in August that 'Hogsmeade comes to life!' Or at least, that's what the six feet tall posters had been proclaiming. She should know, she'd hung enough of them, and had to stare at them in every shop window she passed on her way to and from the sweet shop.

* * *

"Well that's it I think, for the time being, Ginny. You've excelled yourself today," Mr. Honeyduke said as he placed a hand on her shoulder, comfortingly. "Oh come now, cheer up, it's not the end of the world!" he said, as she looked up at him, a sad look on her face.

"I know, it's just that I love working here, I always knew I would, and soon that's going to end. It just seems a horrible way to go, doesn't it? To have your hard work knocked to the ground - literally," she added as an afterthought.

"That's business for you," he said, shrugging slightly as he counted the day's earnings. They weren't much - they fit into the palm of his hand. He flipped a coin or two and handed them to Ginny. "You worked hard today, you should have this,"

"Oh no - I couldn't,"

"You can and you will my dear."

"Well - thankyou."

"Treat yourself to a Butterbeer or two. You look like you might need them. You look rather tired,"

Ginny smiled. It's my brother's wedding in a few days and we've been preparing for it, that's all," Ginny said, choosing not to mention the real reason she had bags under her eyes.

Truth be told, she'd ransacked Hermione's book collection looking for something - _any_thing that might have helped her find a solution to the Honeyduke's problem. Trust Hermione to have books on the Wizarding world's history. So far she hadn't found anything, but she was determined that she would. She supposed it was quite odd for someone of her age to care so much about a mere sweet shop, but it was the Honeyduke's themselves that she wanted to save. She'd asked them what they would do once they didn't the shop and they'd told her whilst smiling warmly at one another that they'd take a trip to Hawaii.

"The Muggle's always look so happy in the pictures; we thought we'd give it a try. A second honeymoon if you wish," Mr. Honeyduke had said, hugging his wife to him. Ginny had smiled at this. They had each other, perhaps they would be alright without their shop, despite it having been a part of their lives for so long.

"Off you go, Ginny. Be sure to take plenty of pictures at the Wedding, we'd love to see you in your bridesmaid dress!" Mrs. Honeyduke said as she ushered the young girl out of the door.

"I will! Goodbye," Ginny called as she waved over her shoulder and walked down the main street and nearly walked straight into Harry.

"Er, hey," he said as he smiled at the look of surprise on her face.

"Hey you, what are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd accompany you home since you worked late tonight,"

"How lovely of you, I was going for a drink at the Pub though, care to join me?"

"Sure," he said, opening the door to the Three Broomsticks for her as they neared it.

"Good, I think I'm going to need all the sweetness I can get, I have to get everything right tomorrow, should be interesting," Ginny said, pulling a strained smile as she sat down across from Harry.

"Should we make it a double Butterbeer then?" Harry asked, wondering if he should place his hand on hers to comfort her.

"Definitely," she said, putting her face in her hands, effectively rendering this not possible.

* * *

A/N: Again, thank you to those who are reviewing, I know a lot more of you are reading...I have stats on my author page, you know. I know you're all out there. Reviews make my day... 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Well I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you all enjoy reading it and please, feel free to leave me any comments on what you thought, they'd be greatly appreciated.

Happy reading.

Nesserz.

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 4

* * *

Bill and Fleur's Wedding day had finally arrived and there was only one word to describe the morning beforehand: Unbelievable. So many things had to happen in the space of a few hours that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were put to work as soon as they awoke, which wasn't under the normal circumstances anyway; they'd all been awoken by Fred and George who had arrived earlier than anyone else for the festivities.

They had pulled Ginny from her bed by her feet and promptly dropped her on the floor. Hermione was shocked by this and began to admonish the twins, but they shushed her and her mouth dropped open when she realised Ginny hadn't even awoken.

"That was just the warm-up." Fred said, grinning down at Ginny's friend in her cot. Their plan had been to treaten Hermione's books with a severing charm, but she'd awoken when they'd entered the room, apparently a light sleeper.

"This," said George, drawing his wand dramatically, "is the finale," he said, poking it sharply in Ginny's direction and showering her with a fountain of water. She came up spluttering and shouting.

"FRED! GEORGE! GET OOOUT!"

"Ginny, shush, you'll wake up Harry and Ron." Fred said, frowning at his sister.

"And that's our job," George said and the two of them left the room, laughing.

"Sometimes," Hermione said, yawning, "I like being an only child,"

"Nrgh," Ginny replied, lying down again. Hermione laughed.

"Come on! There's lots to do today, your mother will be up here soon if we don't get up, do you want that?"

Ginny sat bolt upright. "I'm up, I'm up." she said groaning all the while.

Meanwhile, Ron and Harry were sleeping peacefully in Ron's bedroom not having been disturbed by the ruckus down the hall.

"Rise and shine darlings!" Fred's voice rung out as he slammed the door open and it hit the wall, making a large bang, efectively making the two teenage boys up.

"Well you're easier to wake up than Ginny is, at any rate," George said, sitting down on the edge of Harry's cot.

"S'too early," Harry muttered groping for his glasses and taking them from Fred with a wary look on his face. Fred merely grinned at him as he put them on.

"What do you gits want?" Ron asked, swinging his legs off his bed and staring at his brothers through bleary eyes.

"Want? We want nothing from you dear brother. We're merely the waker upperer...ers." George said, waving his hands about the two of themselves magestically.

"In that case, get out," Ron said, shoving them out the door and walking back over to his bed and collapsing upon it again.

"You should thank us," the twin's called from the other side of the door.

"Uh huh," Ron muttered as he thumped his pillow.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but was saved doing so by a shrill "BOYS! Get downstairs now, please!"

"Mum," Ron muttered.

"And so the day begins," Harry said, aware that the sun had barely gotten up itself yet.

* * *

They met Hermione and Ginny on the stairs, Hermione looking far more awake than Ginny was.

"She's not a morning person," Hermione whispered to Harry who nodded and jerked his thumb to Ron. "Apparently it runs in the family." Hermione stifled a laugh.

"Morning you lot, eat up, you'll need your strength today. Boys, Fleur wants your help setting up the chairs in the garden. Hermione, Ginny, I'll need your help tying these bows to the chairs. Ron made a face at the mention of bows as he wolfed down his toast.

"Of course Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said, nodding.

"Report back here when you've finished your jobs," Molly said, clearing their breakfast dishes away from them immediately after they'd finished. Well, all but Ginny, who was about to spear a piece of bacon but missed when Molly whipped the plate out from in front of her.

"Mum - I wasn't done," she complained, waving her fork in the air. Her mother looked at her, looking rather harrassed for six o'clock in the morning.

"Well you are now," she said, shoving a slice of toast into her daughter's hand. "Move!"

* * *

"This is mad," Ron said as he unstuck two chairs and nearly toppled over backwards with the effort. "Ruddy Mum not letting us use magic. I thought she said we were running out of time,"

"Ron, don't speak about your mother like that, she's under a lot of pressure is all. She wants to make this perfect for Bill and Fleur. They deserve that much don't they? And besides, it wouldn't kill you to do some things without the use of magic," Hermione said, tying a bow onto the back of a chair that Ron had collapsed into.

"Spose not," he said, agreeing with her as she gaped at him. He merely smiled at her to which she hesitantly smiled back. "Where's Ginny with the drinks?" he wondered aloud, and no sooner had he done so and Ginny appeared, walking with a purposeful swagger, and holding a tray of drinks, complete with little umbrella's sticking out the tops of them.

"Here you are, dearies," she said, placing them on one of the left over chairs in the middle of the garden. Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Ginny handed him a glass of lemonade which he accepted gratefully and gulped down most of it in one mouthful.

"Thanks," he said, wiping his mouth none too elegantly.

"No problem," she said, taking her own drink.

"Thirsty work huh?" came a voice that was familiar to the four of them and they turned to see Tonks grinning at them, her hair a violent shade of green today, and shoulder length, but it was still undeniably Tonks.

"Hey Tonks," Ginny said, running up to her and giving her a hug to which Tonks grinned.

"Everything's in full swing then?" she asked, surveying the Weasley's vast garden.

"No thanks to anyone but us," Ron said, as Tonks clapped him on the shoulder. "Mum's been working us like house elv--slaves," he said quickly, giving Hermione a sideways look. She rolled her eyes but she agreed with him.

"It's only going to get more ah..strenous. Molly told me to tell you two," she pointed to Ron and Harry respectively and toward the far end of the garden, "that you're to start setting up the dias. She also mentioned that she doesn't trust you with magic, and to let Hermione handle that aspect of it,"

Ron scowled and Hermione nodded briskly. "Come on then, what are we waiting for?"

"A full moon," Ron muttered, but his eyes widened as he looked back at Tonks. "Er...I mean,"

"It's ok Ron," Tonks said, knowing he was thinking of Remus, who, thankfully was still inside the house with Molly; Tonks had come out to see the four teens as she found them much more interesting than wedding plans, and had just managed to escape being given a job herself. Though she'd told Molly that she'd supervise the construction of the Wedding Dias.

"Why can't Fred and George do this?" Ron muttered ten minutes later as Hermione issues instructions to him as he swung a piece of timber around in the air.

"Because they aren't exactly trustworthy are they? They'd probably get halfway through it and lose interest. Oh Ron, be careful, you almost hit Harry in the head!" she said, pinching the bridge of her nose and giving Ginny an exasperated look

"I dunno if that's such a bad thing, might make him move faster," Ron said, and raising his voice, yelled at Harry who was making sure that the banner hanging above the Wedding platform was tacked on securely. "Oi Potter, we haven't got _all_ day. Most of it, but not all of it. Get a move on will you?"

"Oh and like you're really pulling your weight. I saw you chatting to Tonks before!" Harry called back, climbing down from the ladder they'd been given.

"Now, now boys, no need to fight over me," Tonks said, winking at Ginny who giggled.

She'd been given the job of making sure that the decorations were placed in the correct places. "Harry, get back up there, that banner isn't straight!" she called, pointing at the banner which was, as she said, too low on the right.

Harry looked at her, rolled his eyes and climbed up the ladder again, untacking it to begin again. "You have a knack for ordering people around," Tonks told her, coming to stand beside her and watch Harry struggle with the material banner.

"Blame my mother for that, I do," Ginny said grinning.

"Or is it just that particular boy you seem to be good at bossing about?"

Ginny bit her lip, stopping herself from laughing. "Actually no, pretty much everyone reacts like that." she said, laughing as Tonks did too, nodding her head.

"I'm sure Harry'd do most anything for you though Ginny, you probably wouldn't even have to ask. He's mad about you, you know."

"Er Tonks, we kind of...we're not together anymore," Ginny said, sighing despite herself.

"Oh. Could have fooled me," she said as she wandered off to talk to Bill and Charlie who had suddenly materialized in the garden. Ginny watched after her, then looked at Harry thoughtfully as he descended the ladder and joined her.

"What?" he said, looking at her suspiciously as she cocked her head at him.

"Nothing," she said flippantly. "Come on," she said, grabbing his wrist and leading him toward Hermione and Ron, who was looking around quickly and beckoning to the two of them.

"Quick! Before Mum sees us," Ron said, grabbing onto Hermione as well ("Ron, how many times do I have to tell you not to grab me like that?") and the four of them ran down to the lake that the Weasley's had hidden within their woods on the edge of their property.

"Is it safe to be down here?" Hermione asked, looking around cautiously.

"Sure, we've been coming down here since we were 'bout five," Ron said showing Hermione his elbow. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Fred did that when he pushed me in," he grinned, sitting down on the small dock that had been put there what looked to be many years before.

Hermione sat beside him and dangled her feet in the cool water. She hung her head back and felt the sun warming her face. She sighed. "It's very nice down here," she said, looking to Ginny who was wading into the water, the water currently up to her thighs. "Ginny! We have to go get ready within the hour, should you be getting wet?" Hermione asked, unsure.

"Nothing a shower won't fix, Hermione, don't worry. The muck washes off, just like that," she said, clicking her fingers, grinning. "Besides, you're not the one who has to get dressed in a stuffy dress," she said, poking her tongue out childishly.

Hermione sighed, thinking not for the first time, how carefree Ginny was, and how much like her brothers she was. Not that this was a bad thing, she could see Harry watching Ginny's every move from his position a little ways around the lake from them. Obviously he didn't mind Ginny's lack of poise.

Suddenly, Ron laid his head in her lap and closed his eyes after giving her a cheeky grin. "Are you quite right there?" she asked, more surprised at his actions than anything else.

"Quite, thank you," he said his long legs dangling of the side of the dock. Hermione rolled her eyes, and contented herself with watching Ginny wade about in the water and suddenly flickin water at Harry, to which he started, took off his glasses and wiped them, pretending to be annoyed. This only caused Ginny to do it again, to which Harry, after stripping off his t-shirt, obviously without thinking twice, waded into the water right after her, causing Ginny to squeal and wade away from him as fast as she could without getting her shorts wet.

"Y'know," she said as Harry caught up with her, and looked as though he were going to douse her in water, "it's really not fair how you can take your shirt off like that, we girls can't."

"One of the perks of being male I suppose," Harry said, shrugging.

Ginny looked at him for a minute before plucking his glasses from his face which made him lose his footing at the unexpected loss of his sight. "Can you see anything without them?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Not exactly...why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Just wondering," she said as she waded away from him quietly, Harry trying to reach out for his glasses.

"I really should look into a sight correcting charm or something, they're a right pain in the arse," he said as he made a particularly large swipe and promptly fell with a splash at Ginny's feet. She laughed loudly as he came up sputtering, looking pathetic.

"Ginny please," he said, reaching for her. She bent slightly and slid them back onto his nose.

"You should keep them, they give you character," she said softly, wiping a lock of his hair out of his eyes as she slid them onto his face properly.

"Right, may- maybe I will then, if you reckon so," he said, looking directly at her.

"I reckon so," Ginny said, inching closer to Harry, but before things could get too serious, she pulled her hand through the water, covering Harry in a sheet of water, making him splutter again.

Ginny waded away, gave Hermione a weak smile and headed back to the Burrow, drying off in the sun.

Harry sighed and ran a hand over his face and looked at Hermione, who shrugged half-heartedly.

Ron snored loudly, having fallen asleep in Hermione's lap. She and Harry looked down at him, as he awoke.

"What did I miss?" he asked, sitting up and looking from one to the other.

Harry and Hermione shrugged. "Nothing, absolutely nothing," Harry said, lifting himself out of the water, and heading in Ginny's wake.

* * *

After their relaxing half hour at the lake, it was time for Ginny and Hermione to get ready for the Wedding, and the house was in absolute uproar. And Fred and George had left to go get provisions from their shop, provisions that they'd said the wedding wouldn't be complete without. Harry and Ron had discussed such provisions and had come up with the idea that if it was something from the Twin's shop, it had to be Fred and George's famous Fireworks. The two friends had grinned at this. Surely the fireworks wouldn't be a small affair, not if the Weasley twins were behind it.

Ginny had to shut herself in her room for a little peace and quiet. She was berating herself for being so forward with Harry when Hermione let herself in and shut the door tightly behind her, leaning on it and sliding down to the floor, her eyes widened. "I thought Fred and George could be a handful!" she said, not looking ready to move any time soon. "Fleur's cousins are...are...monsters! And they're speaking French so I can't understand them, all I know is that they were yelling at me and pulling my hair." she said, gesturing to her hair which did look more unruly than usual. "Which, in an odd twist of events, solves the matter of 'hair up or hair down' tonight."

"Hair up," she and Ginny chorused together, laughing.

"Yeah, they're pretty boisterous when they're here. Maybe it's something about this house," Ginny said

"That, would not surprise me. It's lovely to have everyone here though isn't it? The Order members, your family, Fleur's."

"Soon to be one and the same family. Can you imagine Christmas?" Ginny said, suddenly horror struck.

Hermione laughed. "You want some help with your hair, or is Fleur going to do it?"

Ginny shook her head. "I told her you'd do it, she pulls," she said, making a face. Hermione took out her wand and tended to Ginny's hair, twisting it up into the elegant bun Fleur had decided that she and Gabrielle would wear. Fifteen minutes later, Hermione curled a few strands of Ginny's hair around her wand and stood back to admire the finished product. She smiled.

"Ginny you look...absolutely wonderful," she breathed, frog marching Ginny over to the mirror on the back of her bedroom door.

"Hmm don't scrub up too bad do I?" she said, turning in every which direction.

"Scrub up..." Hermione muttered. "Ginny, you're very pretty, the way you talk about yourself anyone would think you were quite...well...ugly." Hermione said bluntly, wrinkling her nose. Ginny laughed.

"I don't dress up very often Hermione, it's a little hard to get used to." she said, tugging at a curl. Hermione swatted her hands away.

"Oh don't do that, I'm not going to do it again for you if you ruin it,"

"Yes, Mum," Ginny said, sticking out her tongue, just to irritate Hermione. "Now, your turn," she said, pulling out her own wand and grinning wickedly at Hermione.

* * *

"All this chaos just to marry someone," Ron said as he straightened his tie, standing in front of his mirror.

"It's not that bad really, at least things are going to plan, can you imagine if they weren't?" Harry said, shaking his head at the thought of an even more hysterical Fleur. They could hear her yelling in French downstairs. Ron snorted.

"True,"

"Well, shall we go see if the girls are ready?" Ron asked, sticking his hands in his pockets, looking far more comfortable than when they'd had to go to the Yule Ball.

"Yeah, ok."

They walked down the hall, Ron knocking lightly on Ginny's bedroom door. "I've learnt these last few days that it's better to knock when they're getting ready for something, they tend to be more irritable if you barge in when they're getting ready for something important," Ron said wisely. Harry nodded.

"Go away Ron, we'll meet you downstairs," came Ginny's voice from the other side of the door, without bothering to open it.

"Well hurry it up, they won't hold the wedding just for you, you know," he called back, cuffing Harry on the shoulder and the two of them ambled down the Burrow's rickety staircase and into the living room to wait.

"So what happened down at the lake this arvo? Hermione wouldn't tell me," Ron said, stretching his arm out across the back of the couch as he fixed Harry with a penetrating stare.

"I told you, nothing. Ginny took my glasses, laughed when I fell over in the lake, gave them back and left."

"Right," Ron said, not convinced that this cliffnotes version was as exact as it could have been. Harry was saved from further interrogation from by Ron in the form of Mrs. Weasley who came into the room, muttering under her breath.

"There you are! I was just coming to find you. Are the girls ready?" she asked, making a beeline for the stairs but stopped for Hermione had just stuck her head around the corner.

"Sorry Mrs. Weasley, my hair gave us a bit of trouble," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"No matter, down you come now,"

Hermione came first, wearing soft, light robes of palest pink, her hair twisted up like Ginny's, though it wasn't as formal and she smiled nervously at Harry and Ron as they looked at her. "You two look lovely," she said, approaching Harry and Ron and smoothing down Harry's lapel of his suit. Ron looked at her pointedly and she smiled shyly at him. He seemed content with this and looked in the direction of the stairs again in time to see Ginny descend them, coming towards them as though she were wearing her jean shorts.

"Ginny, a little more composure would go a long way," Her mother said as she fussed over Ginny's dress, which had been redesigned, just as Fleur had promised and now resembled a short skirt made from soft, fluttery material, making Ginny look quite radiant in pale gold.

"Sorry Mum. Well, let's get this show on the road shall we?" she said, winking at Harry as the group headed out to the garden. Ginny and Ron peeled off from them to join the wedding party as Harry and Hermione greeted some friendly faces. Such as Remus, Tonks who had resorted to her natural form, wearing a lovely set of blue robes, Professor McGonagall, and various other members of the Order that they recognised by face but not by name.

Soon enough all the guests were seated by the Ushers, none other than Fred and George, who seemed to be taking their job very seriously and were showing people to their seats properly and without much cause for mayhem. Harry and Hermione took two seats toward the front and chatted softly amongst themselves. Hermione told him that she hadn't found out much more about the Horcruxes and Harry admitted that he was sorry he hadn't been helping out more, that he was always at Honeydukes with Ginny instead. Hermione brushed this aside, and told him that there wasn't much he could do as one, she didn't like people reading over her shoulder, and two, he should enjoy his summer and not worry about the Horcruxes until she could find something of substance for him _to_ worry about.

"So how are things between you and Ron?" Harry asked, after a short pause in their conversation.

"Whatever do you mean?" Hermione asked, smoothing imaginary wrinkles out of her robes.

"You seem to be getting along well now. It's nice."

"Yes," said Hermione "it is rather nice," she sighed. "Let's hope it continues," she said with a laugh. Harry nodded. "Oh look, the wedding's starting. Shh!"

The wedding was indeed starting. The music that had been playing from what seemed to be thin air had swelled to what Harry and Hermione recognised to be a variation of the traditional wedding theme played at Muggle weddings. They turned their heads to see Gabrielle walking towards them, a fresh bouquet of flowers in her hands, smiling brilliantly. The males in the audience looked a little glassey-eyed Harry noticed, but he was too busy looking at the girl standing behind Gabrielle to be affected by her Veela charms. Hermione smiled.

Ginny followed soon after, standing a good foot taller than Gabrielle, though dressed identically and carry her own bouquet of flowers, with one tucked behind her right ear. She smiled brightly just as Gabrielle was, and this time Harry felt himself go glassey-eye, looking at Ginny, amazed by the transformation, which, he mused wasn't really saying much. He thought Ginny looked plenty nice when she was dressed in t-shirt and jeans, but this, this was a different kind of nice. He could see a trace of uncertainty cross her features every few steps and he realised it must have been the shoes. He did look for the scuffed toe of her sneaker, just incase, but smiled when he saw she was wearing dress shoes.

The Wedding was lovely, according to Hermione, who had felt the need to cry all the way through it. Harry saw this as a rather odd thing to say if it was making her cry, but he didn't question it. He was just glad when it was over, for it had gone on for a lot of time and a lot of talking, in French and in English, which Harry thought was quite pointless but who was he to decide what was needed and what wasn't at a wedding?

He stretched discreetly, at least, what he had hoped was discreetly and felt a hand on his shoulder and heard a deep laugh. "Your first Wizarding wedding I see Harry," Remus Lupin said, smiling at Harry. Harry nodded sheepishly.

"It was...er...lovely," he said, remember Hermione's words. Remus laughed again.

"It was, Harry, yes. Your parents wedding was much the same," he said, staring into space wistfully. "simply lovely,"

"Sirius was best man," Harry said, remembering the photograph he had of his parents and their friends.

"Yes, I'd never seen him so humbled. You know he lost the rings," Remus said, nodding at Harry's incredulous look.

"He didn't!" Harry said, grinning, knowing this sounded like something a younger Sirius would have done.

"He did. Only to realise an hour before James and Lily were to be wed that they'd fallen through the lining in his suit pocket and were sitting on his bed at our flat."

"You lived with Sirius?"

"For a very short time. He was a very unidy person," Remus said, motioning to a table and sitting down at it with Harry. Harry laughed at this, believing every word. He relished these few and far between stories he rarely gathered of his parents and their friends. "So, he finds the rings, and comes racing into the church - yes, you mother wanted to get married in a church, James wanted a garden wedding. They compromised. They had a garden reception," Remus said, chuckling over the memory of the weeks before the wedding when James had tried to get Lily to agree to a garden wedding. Evidently he lost.

"He comes racing in, finding James trying to convince me to be his new best man. He was rather miffed to say the least. He threw the rings at James and stalked out of the church."

"He sounds just like Ron," Harry said, sniggering as he looked over to his best friend who was trying to ask Hermione to dance with him. She looked wary and unsure if she should take his proffered hand.

"Sirius had a short temper, yes," Remus said, looking as Hermione stood up and joined him. "It took James forty-five minutes to convince him to come backl to the wedding and be his best man. It was right chaos. I had to stay and console Lily who was pacing back and forth in front of the alter muttering about James' poor choice of friends."

"Mum was slightly worried then?" Harry asked, a soft smile upon his face.

"Slightly is an understatement," Remus said, snorting lightly. "She was calling Sirius all the not so nice names under the sun when he and James returned and was ready to hex Sirius until he walked up and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. She calmed down at once, after punching Sirius in the arm for good measure of course," he added, smiling at the memory.

"Then what happened?" Harry asked, resting his chin in his hand and looking at Remus.

"Your parents wed." he said simply. "Then left on their honeymoon, after explaining to Sirius that they weren't taking him. He was highly offended. I then had to put up with him in a foul mood until your parents got back,"

"How long were they gone,"

"Two very long weeks," Remus deadpanned, making Harry laugh.

* * *

"I can dance, thank you very much, just because I didn't at the Yule Ball doesn't mean that I can't. Mum taught us all how. Me and Ginny used to partner each other."

"Oh really," she asked, taking his hand and standing up, seeing Harry and Remus looking their direction and laughing.

"Have you been crying?" he asked, his voice suddenly serious as they began to move together.

"Oh, I was yes - weddings, they make me cry,"

"I will never understand why girls cry at weddings."

"I wouldn't expect you to," Hermione said smiling. "You're actually not that bad," she said, indicating his dancing.

"Thanks, I think," he said, laughing and pulling her closer. "Y'know, we could almost go into business setting up weddings," Ron said, a few minutes later, after having danced through two songs with Hermione, entering into a third. He admired the fairies that Hermione had charmed into the bushes earlier that night "If Auror training doesn't take our fancy, of course."

"Of course," Hermione said, laughing softly, daring to lie her head on Ron's shoulder. A moment later she felt him rest his chin atop her head. "Today was far too chaotic. We did do a good job though, it's rather satisfying to know that we did this," Hermione said, smiling as Fleur's young cousins raced around the garden and ran circles around the two of them dancing.

"'Tis, isn't it," he said, nudging her lightly. "You work well under pressure," he said, looking down at her and she ducked her head for a moment.

"Thank you," she said softly, touching him on the arm.

* * *

Harry hadn't seen Ginny for at least half an hour after he'd finished talking to Remus and Ron and Hermione were so wrapped up in one another than he didn't think it'd do any good to ask them where she'd gotten to. He wandered around the yard, weaving between couples dancing and talking, and looked around for her and thought he spotted her sitting off to the side of the procession, but before he could do anything, he was waylayed by Fred and George.

"Enjoying the festivities, Harry?" they asked him and he nodded.

"It's a change from visiting Honeydukes everyday," he said shrugging.

"Ah yes, we'd heard about your little excursions to the Honeyduke's. You do know Mrs. Honeyduke is married Harry, she won't leave her husband for you, no matter who you defeat," Fred said, grinning at him.

"Shame that, guess I'll have to set my sights elsewhere then," Harry said, trying to sidestep them and failing.

"About your sights. What are you intentions for our little sister?"

Harry spluttered. "My _what_?"

"Intentions," George said, looking far more serious than Harry had ever seen him.

"I don't--Ginny and I are just friends," he said, reddening under the twins' stare.

"So you don't have any intentions at all? Harry, Ginny is our sister, you should at least treat her with _some _respect, even if we don't."

"So, what, am I supposed to have intentions or not? I'm confused," Harry said, running a hand through his hair.

"Oh that's good," Fred said nodding. "Keep doing that, and she won't let you near her anyway. Ginny likes her men at least partly groomed,"

"Oh sod off," Harry said, grinning as he stepped around the twins in search of Ginny to find her where he'd last seen her, sitting on the low fence the Weasley's had running around their property.

"Hey," Harry said, stepping over the low wall and sitting next to her, his hands in his pockets. She looked up at him, startled.

"Hey," she echoed, her hands in her lap.

"Alright?" he asked her looking at her sideways.

"Yeah. Just thinking is all. I can't believe how easy it is to forget about what's out there, waiting for you. Tonight has been so fun, but it makes it even harder to come to terms with what's going to happen.

"What's going to happen?"

"You, leaving,"

"How'd you know--?"

"Oh come on Harry, you'll have to go somewhere, Voldemort isn't going to stroll into the Burrow and politely ask you to kill him over breakfast now is he?" she said, laughing bitterly.

Harry sighed. "Dance with me?" Ginny stared at him.

"Look, you're right you know, I am leaving but right now I"m here, and I want to make the most of this, so...dance with me?"

Ginny obliged and they danced for hours, revelling in the other's touch, whilst telling themselves, despite what they thought, that it wouldn't be the last time they'd be able to.

* * *

A/N: Thoughts? Anyone?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I quite like this chapter, I hope you gusy will. Not sure when I last updated, but a few people requested that I update this again, so here we are.

Enjoy guys, and please let me know what you think, I've worked really hard on this. Though I think after this story I shall go back to writing one-shots. They seem to do better than chaptered fics.

Some useless Info: I've noticed that this story has nearly as many hits as my best story 'Only if you Promise Me' which gathered 325 reviews, and this one so far as 23...interesting. It looks as though people are reading a lot of stories and not reviewing them, I'm not complaining (not much) it's just that I've noticed the hit counts are rather high.

That is all.

Enjoy.

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 5

* * *

"Urgh. My head," Ron said the next morning, holding his head in his hands. Hermione, who had offered to cook breakfast for the four of them, looked at him, then with a raised eyebrow at Ginny and after a frenzied nod from her, clanged two of Mrs. Weasley's largest pots together. "Oww 'Mione, don't, please," he cried, clapping his hands over his ears. 

"Well you shouldn't have drunk so much Firewhisky last night should you? I warned you, but you wouldn't listen to me," she chastised, not troubling to keep the noise down.

"How come you're fine? I know you had some, right before Fred and George's fireworks."

He was referring to when Fred and George had announced that it was time for their spectacular 'provisions' to start. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had come together and sat on the wall where Harry and Ginny had been talking and watched the night sky light up with an array of different shapes and bangs and colours.

The show had been a success, drawing 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the guests at all the right moments. The dancing had gone on long into the night, Hermione and Ginny taking it in turns to dance with Bill, Ron dancing with Fleur, though he was more focused on Hermione than her, much to Hermione's delight.

The night had ended spectacularly with one particularly loud bang, and the word 'Just Married' hung over the Burrow as Bill and Fleur appaarated away to enjoy their honeymoon.

"I drank in moderation, yes. Though I see you remember everything that happened last night, that's a start," she said, Harry and Ginny certain that she'd have been highly offended if Ron hadn't been able to remember the time they'd spent together.

"Oh I remember," he groaned. "I remember that I shouldn't have done that,"

Hermione sighed and pushed a cup in front of him. "Here, it's a hangover potion, not that you deserve it," she said, watching as he lifted the cup to his mouth, drank, and sprayed it all over the table.

"Watch it!" Ginny said, springing back from the table. "Oh Ron that's disgusting," she said, wrinkling her nose at the yellow potion that was now spread out on the table.

Harry looked at Ginny and noticed her hair was still curly from the night before. She'd taken it down, easier to sleep on, she'd said, and it was falling about her face in soft curls, despite the look of disgust on her face, she looked quite pretty.

Harry shook his head. "So, what're we doing today?" he said, looking at Ginny too, as it was Sunday and her day off from work.

"Relaxing," Ginny said, just as Ron groaned,

"Dying,"

"You're so dramatic," Hermione said, as she siphoned the potion from the table and pointed her wand at Ron and muttered an incantation under her breath. He perked up immediately.

"You're the best Hermione, don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise." Ron said as he stood up and hugged her around the middle, spinning her around the room. She let out a shriek.

"Ron put me _down_!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'll be outside if you want me," she said to Harry, grabbing a blanket from the back of her chair and heading out the backdoor. Harry nodded and continued to egg Ron on as he carried Hermione around the Burrow's kitchen and living room, her shrieks now ones of laughter, as she hit her fists upon Ron's back.

* * *

It was a lovely day outside and Ginny planned to take full advantage of it. She spread out her blanket and laid down on her back, shielding her eyes from the sun, letting her mind wander back to the night before.

The Wedding had been lovely and not nearly as stuffy as she'd expected. It seemed Bill had mellowed Fleur quite a lot, she wasn't as finicky with details on the actual wedding day as Ginny had thought she'd be, she was far too wrapped up in her new husband that night to notice that the Delacour cousins had dipped their fingers into the frosting on the wedding cake before it had been served.

She didn't notice either, that the wedding party had split up to sit with their respective partners and friends once the reception had begun. She and Ron had sat with Harry and Hermione, going over the wedding and laughing when Ginny mentioned that she'd had to suppress the urge to sneeze halfway through the ceremony. "It wouldn't have been so bad," she'd said to them "If Fred and George hadn't been making a -- what'd you call it Hermione? Movie? Can you imagine? "I take you Fleur to be my--achoo!" right in the middle of it? Horrifying, not to mention terrific amunition for the twins," the four of them had laughed outright at this, as Ron came forward and announced that he'd completely stopped paying attention through the middle of the wedding too, and had almost missed their cue to file out of the altar area.

Ginny smiled, remembering how happy everyone had looked, and not so happily remembered the conversation she'd tried to have with Harry about him leaving, and how things were only going to get harder. She'd understood that he hadn't wanted to talk about it, but they'd have to at some point, wouldn't they? He couldn't just leave...? With a sudden jolt within her stomach she realised that he could. He'd probably see it as 'easier, and better for everyone' if he just disappeared in the middle of the night or something. Typically Harry.

She shook her head, moving back to happier thoughts. Ron and Hermione. She wondered if they were still in the kitchen, Ron carrying her around. They'd looked so happy together, happy enough to maybe admit their feelings for one another? She didn't know, she'd have to ask Hermione later. They both knew the feelings were there, but were both too stubborn to be the first to say anything. If she didn't think it terribly cliche, Ginny would have locked them in a room somewhere, but she had the distinct feeling they'd come out angry at her and she couldn't take that. Hermione was like the sister she'd never had, and Ron, whilst a prat most of the time, was her second favourite brother, after Bill of course.

She grinned, remembering a dance she'd shared with Bill. She'd stood on his feet, like she'd done when she was younger, and he danced, whilst she laughed, light and airily.

"Are you happy Gin?" he asked her, watching her shining face.

"Of course! Aren't you?" she asked, looking slightly worried that he might say 'no'.

"Brilliantly. I just heard that your summer job might soon be coming to a close, Mum said you were pretty bummed out,"

"I'll pay you a Galleon if you can prove Mum actually said "bummed"," she said cheekily as Bill laughed.

"You know what I mean, Ginner,"

"I'm happy Bill, I really am. And I'm deleriously happy for you, congratulations, Fleur's...well she's...she's different," she said, for lack of anything better to say. Bill laughed again.

"That she is Ginny, that she is," he'd said, looking over to the person in question and blowing her a kiss. Fleur mimed catching it and held it close to her heart. Ginny grimaced.

"That's so disgustingly romantic you know," she said as Bill twirled her.

"What can I say? I'm in love," he said seriously and Ginny threw her arms around his neck.

"I love you Bill, don't let Fleur steal you away from us, will you?" she said into his neck and he hugged her tightly back.

"Never,"

* * *

Ginny lazily rolled over onto her stomach, thinking mildly that she was probably going to burn, being out in the direct sunlight like this but she was too comfortable to bother moving. Not that that bothered her mother who came out of the house not two minutes later, asking her to Degnome the garden.

"They seemed to have crept back into the hedges last night due to the all the noise, inquisitive little creatures," Molly said, patting Ginny on the shoulder lovingly and leaving her to degnome.

"Send Harry out won't you Mum? He could do with a little exercise, hasn't done much since he's been here," she called, snickering to herself, knowing Harry had done more than his share of lifting and cleaning at the shop.

Five minutes later Harry joined her, hands in his pockets and a bright smile on his face. "Your Mum tells me I need to exercise, I can't help but think that it was your idea that I do so,"

Ginny grinned, letting go of a particularly fat Gnome and giggling as he landed with a 'Oof' not far over the Weasley's boundary fence.

"That was pretty pathetic," Harry said before he could stop himself, "Sorry, I just meant--"

"What, that I throw like a girl?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Er...sometimes I forget you are a girl, y'know, it's just that, you're not really a girly girl, and that's a good thing!" he said quickly, raising his hands in defense as she looked at him, her expression unreadable, he wasn't sure if this was a good or bad omen. He took it to be bad as she swing a Gnome at him, which waddled right into Harry's leg and promptly bit him. "Ouch!"

Ginny fell about laughing, and pointing at him. "You deserved that," she said as he hopped on one leg, holding his shin.

"And you're lucky it didn't break the skin," he muttered but Ginny just laughed more.

"Ok, I'm sorry, but just because I'm not a 'girly girl' as you put it, doesn't make me any less of one,"

"Oh I know, I just. Well I like you the way you are, I wouldn't have you any other way, not that I do...er...have you or anything." he muttered, wishing he'd stayed inside due to the fact that his mouth seemed to be formulating more bad comments than good at present.

"Good, because I'm not changing for anyone," she said, her jaw set. Harry smiled.

"So, are you having that relaxing day you'd hoped for?" Harry asked, as they took it in turns to coax the Gnomes out of their hiding places and grabbing them to throw them over the fence.

"Oh sure, well I was until Mum came along. I don't mind degnoming though, it's theraputic, the boys always complain, but I don't see why,"

"Theraputic you say? How so?"

"Well, when you're really annoyed about something, you take it out on the Gnomes. Like with Voldemort, pretend that his face is this Gnomes," Ginny said, pinching the cheek of one of the Gnomes and pulling her fingers back fast before it could bite her. "Humour me," she said, as she picked one up and spun around. "This one for instance, is Draco sodding Malfoy!" she said, her voice rising to a yell as she let go and watched the Gnome and hit a tree and slide to the ground with a sickening thump.

"Ouch, remind me not to ever hurt you," Harry said before he thought not to. Ginny hung her head.

"Um. Y'know, I might just -- I've got things to be doing, you be alright here?" she asked, her voice soft. Harry inwardly cursed himself.

"Yeah fine," he said, offering her a weak smile that he wasn't sure she saw as she fled inside. "Good one Potter," he admonished himself and let out a hearty "Ow, bollocks," as a Gnome seized its opportunity to sink its teeth into his ear.

* * *

Ron and Hermione were in the living room when Ginny passed, her head bowed. "Hey Ginny, want a game of..." Ron trailed off as she continued through the room and they heard her running upstairs. "...guess not," he finished, shrugging at Hermione who put down the Exploding Snap cards she'd been playing with Ron.

"I should see if she's alright," she said, making to move. Ron stopped her, shaking his head.

"Leave her for a bit, if it's Harry that's upset her, she might want some time to stew to herself,"

"Oh I do hope he hasn't, they were getting along so well," Hermione said, continuing her game with Ron, but feeling that she should be comforting her best female friend instead.

Ron sighed. "Well it was bound to turn sour sooner or later,"

"Ron! How can you say that?"

"Well it's true, you know Harry's rubbish with girls, he's said so himself," Ron said, leaning away from the towering pile of cards for fear that they would explode in his face.

"What, and your a regular Don Juan are you?"

"Don - who? As I don't know who that is, I decline to comment," Hermione snorted, none to delicately at his response.

"You think your feverent snoggings with Lavendar make you all knowing in the subject of girls do you?"

"No, and I thought we decided to never talk of that again," he said, not looking at her.

"You decided. Though the subject is a sore one, it's one that does lend itself to many amusing comments," she said, smirking to herself.

"And who am I to deny you a joke right?" Ron said, sounding slightly hurt.

"No, Ron, that's not what I meant, I suppose it's just how I like to pretend it didn't hurt as much as it did," she said softly.

They really hadn't ever talked about their betrayal of one another the year before. It was painful for the both of them as they knew why they'd both done what they had, with pure intentions to hurt the other. Neither one of them was proud of it.

"I said I was sorry," he said, placing a hand over hers as she placed down one of her cards. She smiled, cocking her head to the side slightly and found she and Ron were both moving toward one another, albeit rather slowly, but moving none the less, when it happened.

_Snap!_

The stack of cards exploded between them and they jumped apart, looking around guiltily. Hermione coughed. Ron waved away the smoke.

"So...er...eyebrows still there?" he asked, mortified.

"I think so, yes," Hermione said, feeling for her eyebrows. "Yes. Still there," she said primly.

"Good, good,"

"Listen, Hermione I--"

"I should check on Ginny, she'll probably be wondering why I haven't already, I'll--I shall talk to you later," she said, standing up and leaving the room before Ron could say anymore.

Watching her go, Ron groaned, and leant his head on the back of the couch where they'd been playing muttering to himself. "Stupid, stupid."

* * *

"Ginny, it was simply--"

"Terrifying? Horrendiously mortifying? Mentally scarring?" she asked hopefully, remembering her own misfortune a few weeks back.

"I was going to say embarrassing," Hermione deadpanned.

"Oh well."

"I'm supposed to be asking what you're doing up here, not going on about my own melodramas," Hermione said, sitting crosslegged on Ginny's bed, facing the younger girl. "What happened?"

"Nothing really, it was just something Harry said, offhandedly that hit a little close to home. He didn't mean to say it, slip of the tongue, I--"

"Why are you defending him?" Hermione asked gently.

Ginny sighed. "It really was a slip of the tongue. I'm not mad at him, it just reminded me of how hurt I was when he broke things off with me. He looked pretty annoyed with himself, so I suppose that's a good thing, in all things fair," she said, smiling as she picked at her comforter.

"Are you alright though?"

"I'm fine, just a little sad that's all, nothing that can't be fixed. I've been getting some reading done though, she said, pulling out one of Hermione's books from under her bed and plonking it down between them.

"I wondered where that had gotten too," she said, examining the cover. "but what are you reading this for?" she said as she ran her fingers over the title, '_Wizard Dwellings in Britain,_'

"I thought maybe I could find something about Honeydukes, like some old ancient spell or something that would prevent the Malfoy's from buying it. There's nothing in here though."

"Wizarding architecture is very fascinating though," Hermione said, nodding.

"So are our love lives but I don't see anyone writing about them," Ginny said, giggling. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You had to bring that up again didn't you?" she said, flushing lightly.

"Couldn't resist, sorry,"

"No matter, my plan is to pretend that nothing happened,"

"You do know that'll drive Ron mad?" Ginny said, grinning, suspecting that Hermione _did_ know this.

"Well good, he can suffer for a while,"

"You two are so maddening," Ginny said shaking her head. "Why don't you just snog and get it over with?"

"Excuse me, but I will not 'just snog' anyone, I happen to --"

Ginny coughed into her hand, her coughs sounding much like "Viktor" and "McLaggen".

"You know very well Ginny Weasley that Viktor kissed _me_ and Cormac...attacked me," she said for lack of a better term. The two girls fell about giggling.

* * *

Ron wandered towards the kitchen and grabbing two Butterbeers, not thinking that Hermione or Ginny were going to surface any time soon and decided to go see how Harry was doing with the Degnoming.

"Stupid. Sodding. Idiot," he said as he threw a Gnome for each word he said, the Gnomes flying through the air thick and fast.

"Butterbeer mate?" Ron asked, coming up behind him. Harry started and looked warily at the drink. "Don't worry, I don't know what you did to Ginny so I haven't done anything to the drink," he said, smiling crookedly and clinking his bottle against Harry's.

"I said something I shouldn't have," he said, sitting down and leaning against the trunk of a tree.

"Haven't we all?" Ron muttered, taking a long draught of his drink.

"You row with Hermione again?" Harry asked over the top of his drink.

"No!" Ron said indignantly. "We just had a er...game of Snap. Got a little explosive," he said, almost wincing at his choice of words.

"I see, so you did or didn't snog her in the middle of it?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ron made a 'ha ha' sort of face at him. "Almost did," he said grinning to himself. "That's when it got explosive," he said nodding.

"Right," Harry said not sure if he wanted to know more. Ron sighed.

"She panicked and ran to Ginny," he said shrugging. "The day's not all bad though," he said, seemingly content with the fact that the girl he'd been crazy about for the better part of the last year or so had run away from him before they'd kissed. Harry chose not to say anything to this effect however.

"Well," said Harry, raising his bottle in a toast, "To being utterly and completely clueless when it comes to girls," he said, and Ron toasted back.

"Here, here!"

* * *

A/N: Yee! What a _pointless _chapter! I got writers block right after I wrote the Bill/Ginny flashback and then when I got writing again it kind of...fizzled but what's one of my stories without a meandering chapter? I shall keep them to a minimum, I promise.

On another note, you'll all notice how brilliant I was to include flashbacks to the wedding in this chapter. Actually, I tell a lie. I got so swept up in some of the conversations I wrote last chapter, that by the time I'd reached a happy amount for the chapter, I realised I hadn't included a lot of things I wanted to, hence the flashbacks in this chapter. Genius really, isn't it?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Here we go again.

Enjoy guys and gals.

Nesserz.

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 6

* * *

The Hogsmeade Fair was now only a week away and Ginny was frantically still searching for some way to possibly save the shop though she couldn't find anything, she'd even gone so far as to ask Hermione if she would Owl Madam Pince to ask her if the Hogwarts Library had anything. Hermione had obliged and Madam Pince had Owled back a hasty. 

_Miss Granger,_

_I am enjoying my well earned holidays. _

_You should do the same and worry about such matters at a later date. _

_Good day to you,_

_Madam Pince,_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Head Librarian_

Whilst Ginny was amused, Hermione was highly offended. "I thought I could count on Madam Pince whenever I needed her," she said when they'd received her return Owl one night they'd been sitting in the living room.

"Never mind, Hermione, thanks for trying though," she added, patting her friend on the shoulder and heading upstairs, in the hopes she'd be able to find something she might have missed in Hermione's many books.

"I'm worried about Ginny," Hermione spoke up once she'd left. Ron looked up from his Chess game with Harry and frowned, still half concentrating on his next move.

"Why?" he asked, grinning as Harry hesitantly moved a rook.

"She's getting far too involved in this Honeyduke's business. There's nothing she can do, yet she keeps trying to find a loophole,"

Ron shrugged, "It makes her happy, let her do it,"

"Happy? Ron, she's not happy, have you not seen the bags under her eyes? She's barely awake today, why, she was up reading until three o'clock this morning!"

"I thought that'd please you," he said, snickering at his own joke.

"Very funny. No. Personally I'll be glad when all of this is over."

"She was mad this afternoon when she got home, she said Malfoy had been in, messing up all the displays and taking sweets and not paying for them," Harry said to Hermione, also worried about Ginny, despite Ron's apparent lack of concern.

"Oh no wonder. Ron, won't you talk to her?" Hermione asked, startling Ron into action.

"Why me? What good do you think I can do? She's made up her mind to get involved in this, she's not going to sit there and do nothing, Hermione."

"Can't you at least try?" she asked irritably.

"Sure, fine, I'll talk to her now,"

"Oh be tactful won't you?" she asked, realising it would be more effective to ask a Gnome to stay out of the Wesley's garden. She closed her eyes and hoped for the best.

Ron disappeared up stairs and Hermione joined Harry for a game of Chess, half wondering what the outcome of Ron's 'talk' with Ginny would be.

* * *

When Ron entered his sister's room it was to find her on her floor, with a great many books spread out around her, every now and then she'd turn a page in a different one.

"That's quite an accomplishment, I don't think I've ever seen Hermione read more than one book at a time," he said walking into the room and sitting down on Hermione's cot. "What're you looking for?" he asked her.

"A miracle," she muttered, slamming one of the books shut in irritation. "What do you want?"

"Hermio--I thought I'd come see what you were up too,"

"That's nice, how about you leave, and just tell Hermione that I went to bed or something, stop her from worrying,"

"She is worrying, and now that I look at you, so am I, what can you hope to achieve? There are far more important things than saving a sweet shop Ginny. The Honeyduke's have accepted the closure of their shop, why can't you?"

"I--It's something to do, alright? Don't think I don't know that you, Harry and Hermione are planning what you're going to do once the summer's over. I know you're all together when you disappear all the time - don't look at me like that, you've got whole days to yourself when I'm at work, planning and plotting away, I'm not included in that, and I don't want to be. I just need to be included in something, and this happens to be it. And whilst there are more important things to do than save a sweet shop, as you put it, I can't be a part of them, so this is what I'm doing, if you don't appreciate that, then fine, I didn't ask for your approval."

"It's Hermione that's worried about you keeling over from exhaustion and too much reading, heaven forbid!" he said, laughing softly. "But I know where you're coming from. It's hard to sit still and do nothing, I know. So shall I go down stairs and tell Hermione you're asleep?" he asked, grinning at his sister.

"Yeah, and it won't be a lie, I'm crashing, I can't do anything here anyway, I'll see you tomorrow if you surface before I have to go to work," she said, yawning to prove Hermione right, that she was tired. She shrugged and climbed into her bed as Ron shut the door and was asleep within five minutes.

* * *

Ginny did her best to keep a smile on her face when she was working at the sweet shop, not wanting Mr. and Mrs. Honeyduke to feel guilty about not being overly upset about their losing their shop. Though the smile became harder to keep in place after she discovered Mrs. Honeyduke crying into her husband's chest one afternoon after she'd returned from her lunch break.

"What are we going to do with ourselves? This shop is our life! That Malfoy boy has ruined everything," she said, sobbing loudly, reminding Ginny of her own mother when Percy had left home.

"There there, we'll be fine, we'll manage. We'll have the money from the shop and we can take that honeymoon that we told Ginny about, there's no reason why we can't," he said, trying to soothe his wife but his own voice was wavering slightly and Ginny felt horrible. She couldn't eavesdrop anymore. She walked out the back of the shop and stood in front of the warm and loving couple, they didn't deserve this, to lose their shop, their _life_. Bloody Malfoy sticking his pointy nose in where it wasn't wanted _once_ again.

"Please," Ginny asked, spreading her hands wide, "Isn't there _something_ we can do? Send out a petition or something, find a way to stop the Malfoy's from being able to knock this place down?" she knew she sounded desperate, she didn't need to see the looks on the Honeyduke's faces to be reassured of this fact, but there they were, her own desperation looking back at her in the faces of two people who were fast becoming like surrogate parents to her.

They shook their heads at her. "We've tried everything we can think of Ginny, but we come up empty handed every time, we're as upset as you are," they said, hugging each other tight.

Ginny stamped her foot. "What would Malfoy even want with this place anyway? It's far too warm and full of character for him to really be interested,"

"The Malfoy's own a lot of property in Hogsmeade, we think they're only so interested in us because we draw such a crowd and that we've refused them far more resolutely than any other businesses have."

"Well good for you, it's never good to give into a greedy Malfoy," Ginny said, sitting down on one of the cardboard boxes in the store room they were in. "If it makes you feel any better, which it probably won't, my friend Hermione, the one with the bushy hair that came in the other day? She slapped him once, called him a bunch of names too," she said, remembering fondly.

"I'd like to punch him in the nose!" Mrs. Honeyduke said, smacking her left fist into the palm of her right hand. Mr. Honeyduke looked reproachful.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea, dear," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and she sagged immediately, all the fight gone out of her.

"Still, it'd be satisfying to hear his nose crack a little," she said, pouting and Ginny giggled.

"You're tainting innocent Ginny's mind dear!" he said, shaking his finger at his wife. Ginny grinned.

"Oh I don't know about that Mr. Honeyduke, I'm not that innocent," she said grinning still more when he gave her a look that said he thought this might be true.

They were just engaging in a conversation about just how innocent Ginny really was when the shops front door opened, alerting them via the jingling bells. Laughing, Ginny headed to the front counter, ready to serve their customers. People had been coming in all week offering their condolences; word had evidently gotten around that the shop would be closing and would be being demolished and people had offered up happy stories about their visits to the shop during their Hogwarts days.

Today however, it was not some fond older person telling Ginny about how she'd first kissed her husband over by the Cockroach Clusters, it was worse than that, much worse. A cockroach, none the less, but in the form of Draco Malfoy.

Ginny glared. "Your business isn't welcome here," she said, joined by Mr. and Mrs. Honeyduke, their hands on her shoulders.

"Don't mind me Weasley, I'm just here to take some measurements," he said, indeed producing and showing her a tape measure.

"I thought you were going to knock this place down?" Ginny asked though clenched teeth.

"Oh you're absolutely right. We _are. _How silly of me to forget," he said, tucking away the tape measure.

He simply stood in the middle of the shop and plucking a Sugar Quill from a display, popped it into his mouth and disapparated.

Ginny let out a low growl. "He really gets on my goat," she said picking up a broom and sweeping where he'd been standing, as though she could sweep his visit out the door.

"Yours and mine both, dear," Mrs. Honeyduke said, glaring at the spot where Malfoy had been standing minutes before.

* * *

"And then he disapparated! Just like that!" Ginny said, snapping her fingers as she stood in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione. "The nerve," she said, slamming herself into a place at the kitchen table later that evening.

"How are preparations for the Fair coming along?" Hermione asked after furtive looks at the two boys.

"Good I suppose, are you lot coming to it?" Ginny asked, drumming her fingers on the table.

"We'll be there...to restrain you from hitting Malfoy when the Honeydukes sign over the shop," Ron said, giving his sister what Hermione thought was supposed to be a supporting smile. Ginny sighed, thumping her fist onto the table.

"Yeah, well. I'm going for a fly, clear my head," she said as she left the kitchen.

"Don't start Hermione, it'll be over soon," Ron said as he saw Hermione open her mouth, more than likely to voice her opinions about Ginny's behaviour.

"Thank goodness," she said, to which Harry nodded his agreement.

* * *

Ginny flew for hours, trying to forget the matters on her mind. Not particularly in the mood for scoring goals, Ginny rummaged around in the broom shed until her eyes lighted on the battered old Snitch that the Weasley's had acquired from one of Charlie's matches at Hogwarts many, many years ago. It was old and slow; not the best requirements for honing ones Seeker skills. Still, Ginny practiced with it and smiled as on a particularly easy save, she noted the Snitch was near the ground, hovering by Harry's head.

He grinned up at her. "Care for some competition?"

"Competition? Sure, where is it?" she asked, giving him a smile that told him her heart wasn't in it. After grabbing his broom, he joined her and hovered beside her lazily.

"Alright? You've been out here three and a half hours," he said, raising an eyebrow at her. Ginny started.

"Have I really? Oh, I didn't realise," she said, laughing somewhat falsely.

"Want me to leave you alone? I can, I just thought you might want --"

"No, no, you can stay. I wouldn't mind the company," she fiddled with the end of her broom. "So, you're definitely coming to the Fair then?" she asked, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Yeah, sounds like it'll be really good. Will you be working or...?"

"I helping to begin with, then the Honeyduke's are signing over the shop to the Malfoy's around eight o'clock, then it -- it closes, so I'm free for the rest of the night. I'm afraid I probably won't be much fun," she said, giving him an apologetic smile.

"Don't say that, you're always fun Ginny, and it's a fair. Other than the obvious, what's not going to be fun about it? Truth be told, I don't even know what to expect, now that I think about it," Harry said, laughing shortly.

"Think Hogsmeade crossed with Diagon Alley, crossed with a bit of Hogwarts."

"I think I'll love it then," Harry said, smiling.

"Are you scared Harry?" Ginny asked suddenly, not meeting his eyes.

"Of the fair?" he asked, slightly confused.

"No, of...Voldemort," she said, this time meeting his eyes, determined to gauge his reaction.

"I didn't think you were ever going to ask about that, I thought you'd forgotten,"

"It's not something you forget, but I have been trying to push it aside these past few weeks. Having you around, somewhat happy has been really nice," Ginny said, a telltale blush creeping up her cheeks.

"It has," he agreed, nodding. "But, as corny as it sounds, all good things must come to an end,"

"But it's the bad things that will come to an end isn't it? You'll beat him and everything will be better than it ever has been," she said, sounding hopeful and determined that she was right.

"I certainly hope so. Things will be really different Ginny, I don't think many people have really thought about that, I mean, most everyone is used to living in fear, how will they cope not having Voldemort looming over their heads?"

"They'll have too won't they? People won't be constantly looking over their shoulders; they'll be at peace,"

"Will they though? People have been hurt in wars before, it's bound to happen again, that's why I ended things with you," he said, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably, "To try and protect you, but now I know that was pretty stupid of me. You Weasleys are so well known in the Ministry, that you're all in the same amount of danger," Harry said, hoping he hadn't said the wrong thing.

Ginny laughed. "I don't know about the same amount, Fred and George are probably twice as well known, what with their U No Poo and the Shield Hats they were selling to the Ministry."

Harry nodded. "And Percy, he's working his way up, cosying with Rufus Scrimgeour and the like," Ginny nodded, a scowl upon her face.

"Dad, of course,"

"Ron for being there last year in the Department of Mysteries,"

"And me, though Voldemort knows me personally," she said with a bitter laugh. "We're all in great amounts of danger,"

"I'm sorry," Harry said suddenly.

"Whatever for?" Ginny asked, looking shocked. "Oh," she said, realisation dawning on her face, "Don't you go and say that Voldemort being an evil wizard is your fault! He was always evil, long before you were born,"

"It's not that, I'm sorry that I've failed so many times to beat him,"

"_Harry_," she stressed, "You're _sixteen_, I think it's quite appropriate that you haven't beaten him yet," she said, giving him an incredulous look.

"I'll have to soon though, once I destroy --"

"Oh. Are we delving into 'Don't-tell-Ginny' territory?"

"I think it's for the best," he said, not sounding completely sure.

"That's fine. I trust that if you needed me for something, you'd tell me,"

"It's not that we don't need you - Merlin - we still don't know if only me, Ron and Hermione are going to be enough,"

"You will be." Ginny said certainly. "They'll stand by you no matter what you decide to do and they'll be there to the end."

"I know,"

"They love you; we all do,"

"Dumbledore always said love was the one thing I had that Voldemort didn't,"

"He was right," Ginny said, squeezing his hand and descending as she spoke again. "It's late, I'd best get to bed, I'll see you in the morning,"

"Right. Night." Harry said and decided to do some flying to clear his own mind.

* * *

"I really don't see why we have to come here for lunch and to meet up with Ginny, we see her every morning and every night," Ron muttered as he walked through Hogsmeade with Harry and Hermione.

"Oh shush, why are you complaining? We're having lunch at The Three Broomsticks, and I hear Rosmerta's back from her holiday," Hermione said, giving Ron a playful shove, which he returned.

"Don't much fancy her anymore, too old for me,"

"Good," Hermione said simply and Harry shook his head at his friends as he followed them through the door of the Pub.

* * *

"So," Harry said ten minutes later as soon as Ron was placated with a plate of chips and a Butterbeer, "Have you found anything out?"

"Not much more than we already know, I'm afraid," Hermione said, taking a chip from Ron's plate before he could stop her. "The book Remus lent me only skirts around the edge of the issue of Horcruxes," she said, hastily looking around to make sure no one was listening to them.

"It's ok," Harry said, "I cast Muffilato." Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"I didn't think you'd use those spells anymore, Harry," she said, tapping her fingernails against her Butterbeer bottle.

He sighed. "I know, but they are good, handy spells," he said shrugging.

"Fair enough. Unfortunately we don't really know anymore than we did before. What do you want to do Harry?" she asked, putting him on the spot.

"Well I think we should do what we planned last year. I still want to visit Godric's Hollow, then we go from there I suppose, using the memories Dumbledore had. We'll need to talk to McGonagall about that too, I reckon. We'll have to tell her some of it; I doubt she'd let us have Dumbledore's pensieve without good reason,"

"I'll talk to her," Hermione said, her jaw set.

"Well who else could?" Ron asked, making the two of them laugh.

"I can't believe how fast the summer's gone. I feel like it was only yesterday that we were leaving Hogwarts," Hermione said, her tone sad and quiet.

"I'm sorry you won't get to have your seventh year, Hermione," Harry said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh it's not your fault, you're not making me come, I want to come."

"Me too mate, can't get rid of us," Ron said, slinging an arm around Hermione's shoulder and they smiled across the table at him. Familiar and as reliable as ever.

"I'd never want too," Harry said, returning their smiles. A minute later however, the three felt slightly uncomfortable after this declaration and Harry spoke up again. "Shall we go see Ginny?"

"Yes, lets," Hermione said jumping up and Ron's hand slipped from her shoulder, only to grasp her hand. Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, knowing one of them would eventually mention it to him in their own time.

Harry led the way to Honeydukes, knowing the route even more so than he had during his Hogwarts days due to his frequent visits throughout the summer. He pushed open the door, expecting to see a melancholy Ginny and Honeydukes; instead it was to hear before he saw - Ginny singing along to a popular song on the wireless by the Weird Sisters playing throughout the shop.

Looking around, he discovered her by a display of Sugar Quills, one stuck in her hair to keep it up in a messy bun and using the broom as a microphone. She hit a particularly high note and the Honeydukes' applauded and she giggled, soon continuing on with her song. She hadn't noticed the arrival of her friends as she had her back to them and the music was rather loud.

As she came to the end of the song, Ginny spun around and froze, mid note.

"And to think, you've lied to us all summer, you told us you came here everyday to work, not force your Banshee-like singing on people," Ron said, sniggering to himself.

Ginny merely poked her tongue out at him. "I'll give you Banshee, you Troll," she said, teasingly. "At least I have a job, you slacker." she said, her smile faltering for a moment, realising it would soon cease to exist.

"This is hardly a job," he said, raising a hand in greeting at the Honeydukes'. "From what Harry's said when he's visited, you stuffed around too. Wish I'd worked here," he said swiping the Sugar Quill from Ginny's hair and licking it.

"Oh you are disgusting sometimes," Ginny said, laughing at him.

"It's good to see you smiling Ginny," Hermione said earnestly.

"It is, isn't it?" Ginny said, sighing contentedly.

"What's got you in such high spirits?"

"I've been hearing about the Fair this coming Saturday, sounds like it'll be a real good time," she said, indicating the posters on the walls of the shop.

"You three will stop in and see us won't you?" Mrs. Honeyduke asked kindly. "We've grown quite fond of you all, what with your frequent visits, Ron, and your...er...help, Harry," she said, referring to one afternoon when Harry had come in to 'help' Ginny and had ended up being more of a hindrance. Harry laughed.

"Sure we will Mrs. Honeyduke, we'd love to,"

"Good, good."

Ron checked his watch and made a face. "We promised Mum we'd be home to help her set up for tonight."

"What's tonight?" Ginny asked frowning at her brother.

"Oh right. I keep forgetting you're not around as much as usual - it's nice." Ginny thumped him on the shoulder, to which he grimaced. "She's invited Tonks and Lupin and a heap of Order members over for tea," he said, shrugging.

"Why?"

"Does Mum need a reason to invite people over? All I know is she's cooking up a feast. She said to tell you not to dawdle on your way home, too," he said as he bid the Honeyduke's goodbye and the trio left the shop, waving goodbyes over their shoulders.

"Leave it to my mother to invite half the Wizarding world over for tea," Ginny said as she continued her sweeping, this time, without the singing.

* * *

A/N: A big thank you to those of you who are reviewing, I'm replying to some of your reviews to say thank you, I thought it was quite rude of me not too. I appreciate all the reviews I get, so thank you all once again. You make my day. hugs you all


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry it's been such a long time between updates guys, but I've finally finished the last chapter of this story, so now I'll update more often, providing I don't forget...lol.

As always, enjoy.

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 7

* * *

Ginny arrived home later that afternoon to find her house bustling with guests, much like it had around the time of Bill and Fleur's wedding. Ginny didn't mind that much, it was always nice to see Remus and Tonks, who she noticed sitting in the living room as she thought this, on the way to her bedroom to change for dinner.

"Wotcher, Ginny," Tonks said upon spotting her, sitting comfortably net to Remus, holding his scarred hand in hers. She looked truly happy.

"Hey Tonks, Remus," she said grinning at them as she headed upstairs.

She found Hermione in her room, sitting on her cot, reading.

"And what pray tell, are you doing up here on your lonesome?" she asked as she hung her Honeydukes apron on a corner post of her bed.

"Harry and your brothers are playing a game of Quidditch in the field," she said shrugging.

"The nerve!" Ginny said, stamping over to her beauru and sweeping her hair into a ponytail.

"What?"

"They didn't wait for me to get home so I could play too!" she said indignantly, flashing Hermione a grin before she ran outside to join her brothers. "Oi!" she called from the ground, looking up to see most of her family suspended mid air on broom sticks. "Didn't think I'd want to play did you?" she said, placing her hands on her waist, shaking her head at their stupidity.

"Well we weren't going to wait around for you. Grab your broom and join us then, instead of complaining about it," Charlie said, rolling his eyes at his miniscule sister on the ground.

"Done dided, dear brother," Ginny said hovering next to Charlie not a moment after he'd finished his sentence. Just as they were getting into a really gruelling free for all, Molly Weasley's voice announced dinner from the direction of the Burrow. Groaning simultaneously, the group descended from the air, talking all the while about the fantastic game they'd been in the middle of and trudged inside, and found themselves at the wrong end of their mother's wand.

"Woah, Mum, we promise that those Gnomes were spewing up purple stuff _before _we got to them," Fred said, George standing at his side and nodding vigourously. Molly narrowed her eyes.

"I was just going to scrougify you."

"Oh right. Good thinking, wouldn't want us tracking mud through the house--

"Especially not in front of the guests."

Ginny stepped out from behind her brothers and standing still as her mother did indeed scourgify her and slipped past just in time to hear her mother ask suspisciously.

"What Gnomes?"

* * *

The dinner went swimmingly, it appeared that Arthur had persuaded Molly to let him extend the kitchen for the occasion as the majority of the Weasley's - minus Percy, who was never mentioned around Molly these days, and Bill who was still off enjoying his honeymoon with Fleur. After the festivities, and after the teenagers had satisfied themselves with several helpings of Treacle Tart - Harry had four - they retired to the living room, lazily going about their own business.

Harry sat with Ron, wondering how Ron still got enjoyment on beating him in every game they'd ever played. Hermione and Ginny sat opposite one another rolling a ball of yarn for Crookshanks who was pouncing from one girls lap to the other. The adults were enjoying glasses of Ogden's Firewhisky, chatting merrily amongst themselves. Once again, Ginny marvelled at how easy it seemed to be forget about impending wars when you were with the people you loved, unless of course you started wondering if they would still be there after it all. She shook her head to dislodge the thoughts and grinned.

"So Harry tells me you and my brother have finally divulged your feelings to one another," Ginny said, grinning far too much for Hermione's liking.

"We've known how the other has felt for rather a long time Ginny, it's nothing new."

"Oh but I beg to differ, you might have known about the feelings, but you haven't been this friendly to one another in - well - ever," she said smiling at her best friend. Hermione blushed.

"Well I suppose we have been. We decided that it would be nicer for Harry that when the time comes - that we ought to be more than civil to one another. We-"

"Oh bullocks!" Ginny said sitting closer to Hermione and taking her hands, "It's more than that! The way you look at each other, that's the look new couples have. You're snogging aren't you?" she asked, her eyes lit up.

"I do believe it's not healthy to look so excited about your brother's love life," Hermione muttered and Ginny squealed.

"Love life! Harry was right - who'd have known. And it's _your _love life I'm interested in, it is a mere detail that it happens to be Ron on the receiving end of it."

Hermione giggled, something she rarely did and Ginny squeezed their linked hands. "Are you happy, Hermione?" she asked a moment later, her face suddenly serious.

"I thought that much was obvious," she said, frowning.

"Well yes, but Ron makes you happy like this right?" she asked, unhooking her hands from Hermione's and placing them in her lap.

"Yes, he does. Just like Harry used to make you happy,"

"Hermione I--"

"I know, I'm just saying. He's far too stubborn," she said, glancing over at Harry who winced as Ron's Queen smashed several of his Chess pieces at once.

"Aren't we all?" Ginny said, smiling sadly over at her brother and best friend.

* * *

"So," Harry said after they'd cleared away the Chess set after he'd been beaten once again by Ron. "You and Hermione, huh." he said, sneaking a look at Ron who paled slightly.

"Yeah. Listen Harry we--"

"You don't have to worry about me Ron, if that's what this is about. I'm happy for you guys, you know I am,"

"Oh. Really?" he asked, grinning despite himself.

"Yeah, really. So, who snogged who?" he asked, grinning back.

"She snogged me! I was halfway through trying to explain her the advantage of the Sloth Grip Roll y'know the one, Oliver had us learning? Yeah - that one and she throws herself at me Harry, I was so shocked I...well ...er I fell off the edge of the picnic table." Ron said chuckling as he showed Harry a fresh scratch on his elbow.

"And Hermione - she...er... kissed it better?" Harry said, trying to smother a grin.

"That she did mate, that she did," Ron said settling back comfortably in his armchair, arms hanging over the sides, a satisfied look on his face. "So what about you and my sister?" Ron asked, would be casually. Harry started.

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.

"You've been spending a lot of time together lately," he said, pretending to be interested in the fingers on his left hand, but Harry saw him sneak a look at him.

"Yeah...so? What's that got to do with anything? Ginny knows where we stand, we're friends,"

"Friends don't look at each other the way you two do when the other says something awkward,"

"Yeah, well. Some things are complicated," surprisingly, Ron laughed.

"Only because you're making them,"

"Ron, leave it alone will you? It's none of your business, I never said anything to you about Hermione did I?"

"Well no, but we didn't think you'd even noticed,"

Harry snorted. "The Giant Squid noticed, Ron," Harry said pushing himself up out of the chair he was sitting in and walking to the other side of the room, sat himself down on the floor at Remus' feet and quickly engaged him in conversation.

Ron sighed, running a hand through his hair. Hermione joined him a second later and frowned at him. "What did you say to him?" she asked, looking over at Harry who was nodding his head at something Remus was saying.

"I might have brought up the subject of his stupidity toward Ginny," Hermione thumped him in the arm. "Ouch! I said I _might _have," he said, rubbing his arm where she'd struck.

Tonks joined the two of them, sitting in between them and breaking the contact Ron had with Hermione. He gave her a pointed look and she grinned. "Want Molly to be the one to separate the two of you?" she said raising an eyebrow at him. He sank back into his seat and muttered something incoherent. "Thought not. How's it going Hermione?" she asked as she turned to the younger girl who sat back in her seat and crossed her legs.

"It's going quite well, Tonks, thank you. How's Hogwarts coming along?" she asked, referring to the Auror's temporary job at the Wizarding school.

"It's taking some time, but the wards to the school should be up again pretty soon, then we'll be ready for you lot to return. It's going to be fun teaching," she said, brandishing her wand and waving it about like a conductor's baton. She missed the look exchanged between Ron and Hermione as she did this.

"Kid's'll respect you, they will," Ron said, laughing at Tonks changed her appearance to resemble McGonagall.

"You think so?" she asked, sounding proud.

"They will, as long as you don't look like that," he said wrinkling his nose. Hermione frowned.

"I respect Professor McGonagall," she said and Ron laughed.

"That's my point," Hermione opened her mouth to retort and he spoke before she got the chance. "Darling," he said, looking at her hopefully.

"Oh Ron, you are so under Hermione's spell," Ginny said, joining the three of them, sitting on the rug at their feet. Tonks nodded and screwed up her face to resemble Ginny's, long red hair suddenly appearing down her back.

"Spell? What spell?" but all three women ignored him.

"What d'you reckon? Think they'd respect me like this?" she asked as she fingered the hair and Ginny grinned.

"I would, certainly," she said. "I can't wait to go back to Hogwarts, with people like you teaching there. Think you could tell us about Auror training?" Ginny asked hopefully.

Hermione started. "I didn't know you were interested in becoming an Auror," she said to her friend who shrugged.

"I'm not, I've just heard about the gruelling training you have to go through. Sounds interesting," she said, looking back to Tonks who had changed her appearance again to resemble a blonde haired, blue eyed busty blonde.

"You'll have the respect of most of the blokes at least," Ron said, to which Hermione rolled her eyes, but refrained from inflicting bodily harm, knowing he was joking.

Tonks shrugged. "Personally, I think this better," she said, her trademark bubblegum pink hair in place again. Ginny nodded.

"Cool, but still authoritive," she said. "So, you're teaching Defence aren't you?" she asked, to which Tonks nodded.

"Sure am. My best subject," she said proudly.

Fred and George approached suddenly, brandishing a bottle of Butterbeer and handing one to Ron and Hermione. They turned to leave just as Hermione spat a mouthful of hers out. "This is _not _Butterbeer!" she said, wiping her mouth with a disgusted look on her face.

"Never said it was," Fred said shrugged and glancing over toward his mother. "Mind keeping it to yourself though? Don't really want Mum over here," George said, taking Hermione's bottle from her but Ginny snatched it away and sniffed.

"Ogden's? Brilliant. No wonder you didn't give me one. I'll take this off your hands," she said, taking a generous swig from it.

Hermione reached out a hand to stop her. "Ginny, I don't think your mother would really want you to be drinking that, you are underage, afterall," she said and Ginny scoffed.

"It's ok Hermione, it's watered down," she said smiling.

"_That's _watered down? I've never tasted anything so strong in my life," she said, sniffing Ron's bottle and discovering it was far more potent than her own had been. She shook her head. "I don't know how any of you can drink that awful stuff,"

"Not telling you are we?" George said, as he and Fred saluted the four of them and apparated from the room. Looking across the room, Hermione noticed Harry had a bottle in his hands and was drinking from it often. She rolled her eyes and sighed. This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

"And then I says - said - 'Oi you, get your grubby mits off them, you try, you buy,' - The Honeyduke's motto, you know, that is, 'you try, you buy," Ginny said, pointing at Remus who was staring back at her, a bemused smile upon his face an hour later.

"That's not Butterbeer in there is it Harry?" he asked, looking down at the boy sitting to Ginny's right, who was grinning at her inability to speak properly.

"Er..."

"Fred and George I expect?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Them's me brothers. Or, bruzzers as Phlegm - Fleur, sorry, likes to call of them. 'Oh Ginneyyy, your bruzzers are so charmenk,"

Harry gave Remus a sheepish look and nodded.

"Molly's not going to be happy,"

"Oh we don't have to tell her Remus, I'll just take Ginny up to bed before she sees her,"

"How much has she had?"

"Enough, apparently. She's been feeling a little down lately -"

"I'm feeling up now, up, up and away!" she said, sitting up and losing her balance and falling over backwards, to which Harry had to stifle a strong bout of laughter.

"I'll take her now shall I?" he asked as he set down his bottle and Remus vanished it. He stood up and bent down, offering a hand to Ginny. She blinked up at him.

"I don't want your hand, you can keep it, nice of you to offer it to me though. Got two of my own, what'd I want another one for?" she asked, gazing blearily at him to which he shook his head and bent over to pick her up.

He hefted her over his shoulder, and though she was a light weight, he knew this from their brief time together last school year when they'd been mucking around one afternoon by the lake. Tonight however, she was heavier, as she was limp in his arms and not fighting against him like she had been the other time.

"Say goodnight to everyone Ginny," Harry said as they neared the stairs and he swung her around. She lifted her hand in a wave of farewell though her face was covered by a curtain of her long hair, to which Tonks had taken to plaiting at one point. The plait was long gone as her hair hung around her face, swinging to and fro as Harry carried her up the stairs.

He kicked open her bedroom door, feeling slightly as though he shouldn't be there, and led her over to her bed and laid her gently down on it, moving to pull away but found that he couldn't; she'd tightened her arms around his neck. He stood stooped over her bed and her form, his face reddening.

"Er, Ginny, you're going to have to let me go now,"

"What, like how you let me go?" she asked harshly and he stared down at her. "I don't blame you Harry, I'd have let me go too if I were you," she said, sniffling.

He reminded himself that when people were under the influence of alcohol, they tended to say things they normally wouldn't. In Ginny's case, things that she obviously wished she could. She let her arms fall from his neck and lay in her bed, staring up at him.

"Stay here with me," she said suddenly. Harry blanched.

"Your Mum would have a fit," he said, realising he hadn't said he couldn't, like he normally would have said in such a circumstance.

"Mmm that she would. Well, night then Harry," she said, turning away from him, leaving him standing in her bedroom rather awkwardly. He soon heard her heavy breathing which meant she was asleep. The way she was going, she wasn't likely to remember anything in the morning, so it probably wouldn't hurt if he...

He leant over he sleeping form, and lightly pressed his lips to her forehead. "G'night Ginny, I'm sorry,"

"You're always sorry," she said in her sleep, frowning.

"I know," he said sighing as he closed her bedroom door and collapsed against it. "I know I am,"

* * *

Ginny awoke the next morning to a ridiculously bright light filtering into her room. "Nergh. Hermione, make the light go away," she said as she pulled her comforter over her head.

"It's only sunlight, Ginny," came an impossibly loud voice, which she recognised as her best friend's. She opened her eyes after she heard laughing and identified it as Ron's.

"What're you doing in here?" she asked, rolling over and fixing him with what she hoped was a glare but was probably more squinting than anything else.

"Well, Ginners," he begain but stopped when Ginny covered her ears.

"Not so loud," she cried, "What is this, torture Ginny day?"

"No actually," Hermione said as she pulled her wand and performed a non-verbal spell which left Ginny feeling one hundred percent better immediately.

"Hey, it took you longer than that to sober me up after the wedding," Ron said, frowning at Hermione who shrugged and tugged Ginny's comforter from her.

"Perhaps, but you didn't have a job to be getting too," she said and Ginny's eyes widened.

"Oh. Oh! Harry! What are you doing in here?" she asked, suddenly snatching the comforter back from Hermione and covering herself up.

"Wouldn't worry about what you look like now, Ginny, Harry had to carry you to bed last night," Ron said with look that clearly said he was torn between laughing at this thought and being worried about what might have transpired in this very room the night before.

"Oh he did not," she said to Ron and biting her lip and looking toward Harry who was staring at his trainers as he stood in her room, quite close to the door. "Did you?" she asked, her eyes widening again.

"Reckon I did, yeah," he said, looking at her properly without smiling.

"Oh Merlin," she cried, putting her face in her hands. "I didn't do anything embarrassing did I?" she asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Embarrassing? Er...no, not at all," he said as he focused on his trainers again. She looked to Hermione who shrugged.

"Well, we'll leave you to get ready for work," Ron said, taking Ginny's apron from the corner of her bed and sticking it over her head.Ginny made a non commital noise in the back of her throat, her eyes trained on Harry as he filed out of the room behind Ron, and in front of Hermione.

She had a sudden flashback to the night before.

_"You're always sorry," _

_"I know," _

She groaned.

"Idiot," she muttered to herself, throwing herself backwards on her bed out of annoyance at herself.

* * *

"Do you want to talk about what happened last night?" Hermione asked Harry as they sat watching Ron clean out the broomshed in the Weasley's backyard. Harry's head snapped up from the piece of grass he was shredding and looked directly at Hermione.

Suddenly he grinned, feeling like he hadn't in a long while. "That all depends," he said.

"On what?"

"On what you can tell me about the Sloth Grip Roll," he said nonchallantly.

"Oh! He _told _you?"

Harry gave her a pointed look. "I asked, but yes, he gave the details. Never thought you'd throw yourself at someone, Hermione,"

"Throw myself --? I did not _throw _myself at him. He's exaggerating," she said, sniffing primly.

"So you didn't knock him off that very picnic table over there?" he asked her, his grin widening.

"Well, if he'd been sitting on it properly, it wouldn't have happened," she said, before she could catch herself and think better of it and buried her face in her hands. "Oh I'm so embarrassed. I still can't believe I did that," she said lifting her head.

"Love does funny things to people," Harry said, laughing as Ron screamed as he evidently discovered one of the many spiders lurking in the shed.

"That it does," Hermione said nodding. "But I'm not sure it's love, we're only seventeen, Harry,"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know anything about it, Hermione, I don't pretend to,"

"So do you want to talk about last night? You're very quiet today,"

"Big night last night," he said, trying to avoid the conversation as long as he could. "I put her in her bed, that's all Hermione, she was too out of it to remember any of it,"

"But you do," Hermione said, not missing a beat.

"She said some things...things she'd never have said if she was sober,"

"She didn't mean them, I'm sure Harry,"

"No, but they were there, she was obviously thinking about them,"

"You should talk to her about it,"

"No. I'm not going to talk to her about it, Hermione! It's nothing,"

"You have a funny idea of what 'nothing' is Harry Potter," Hermione said, turning back to her book.

Harry chose not to answer her, instead choosing to lose himself in his own thoughts, which were as usual, centering around Ginny. He pushed the previous nights thoughts to the back of his mind however, and found he was thinking about the upcoming fair that night.

"Hey Hermione, when's the Fair start?"

"Around six o'clock I believe, I told Ginny we'd be along to see her around seven," she said, not looking up from her book. "That's providing Ron over there finishes cleaning out that shed by then," she said shaking her head as he dropped a broom and bent down to peer at it and jumped away frm it, brushing himself down hastily.

"Right, well I'm going to head in, get ready." Harry said, pushing himself off of the blanket they'd been sitting on. Hermione nodde.

"We won't be too far behind you," she said as she closed her book with a snap.

Harry began his trek back to the Burrow when Hermione called out to him. He turned back and she spoke, looking as though she wasn't sure she should.

"You might want to practice smiling, Ginny's going to need our support tonight, what with the shop closing and all."

Harry nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Sure thing Hermione,"

"Good," she said then strode over to Ron.

Harry turned back and walked toward the Burrow, scuffing his feet in the grass moodily.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here you go guys...Nothing much to say this time around, though I wish I was getting more feedback than I have been. Oh well. Can't force anyone to review, now can I?

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 8

* * *

Hogsmeade was alive with people when Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived in the Fireplace of Madam Rosmerta's. They stepped out of the shop after graciously accepting 'Free Butterbeer's on the house!' from Rosmerta who was dressed to the hilt in bright, spangling robes of magenta; her curly hair atop her head. Harry and Hermione nodded their thanks, Ron voiced his. "Cheers, Rosmerta," to which Hermione sniffed and let go of his hand. "Oh come on, Hermione," he said and she walked out of the shop in front of the two of them. Harry grinned. Some things never changed.

Throughout their wanderings of the fair, they spotted various class mates, Luna Lovegood being the first they found.

"Hello," she said from behind them and they whirled around, recognising her voice immediately. "Fancy seeing you all here," she said, smiling, wearing her trademark Butterbeer cork necklace and radish shaped earrings. Harry grinned at her.

"Hey Luna, how's your summer been?"

"Good thank you, I've been helping Daddy with the magazine, it's quite popular, you know," she said smiling happily.

"That's great, Luna. Here to enjoy the fair?" he asked, making conversation with the girl in front of him who didn't even appear to be listening anymore.

"Oh yes, and I thought I'd visit Ginny, too," she said, "and get some of those lovely blood-pops Honeyduke's stock before they close. That Malfoy boy really is quite inconsiderate isn't he?" she asked.

"You've spoken to Ginny?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes as he saw Ron talking to Hermione out of the corner of his eye, obviously making up for his talking to Rosmerta. A minute later Hermione was laughing.

"Oh yes, we owl one another quite frequently. She's rather good at coming up with stories for the Quibbler."

"I'll bet she is," Harry said, grinning, thinking of how Ginny liked to humor Luna and enjoyed making things up purely for her benefit.

"She's sounded quite sad lately, in her letters," Luna said, looking directly at Harry. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"It's the closing of Honeydukes that's made her upset," Harry said, nodding. Luna gazed at Ron and Hermione who were standing close together over by a shop window.

"Oh are you two a couple now?" she said even though it was plain to see. "How nice for you," she said smiling and blinking slowly at them.

"Er yeah, thanks Luna," Ron said, and Hermione nodded, smiling as she took Ron's hand in her own.

"Come on, let's go have a look at the stalls before we go visit Ginny, I think I saw a Book stall over there," Hermione said, dragging Ron along in her wake, he made a strained face at Harry who laughed and invited Luna to join them.

They walked down the cobbled street, Harry with his hands in his pockets, and Luna looking from side to side dreamily, pointing out things to Harry at which he nodded, laughing along with her. Just as he was enjoying their walking, they ran smack into someone.

"Oh terribly sorry, I was looking for my toad, he's rather elusive you see he--"

"Neville?"

"Harry! Luna, nice to see you," he said, bending suddenly and returning to stand in front of them, Trevor the toad held securely in his hand.

"Toads need discipline, Neville," Luna said as she took Trevor from his hand and cooed at him. Neville exchanged a look with Harry who shrugged, grinning at Luna who kissed Trevor on the head. He croaked in response.

"Well he's not in disguise," she said as she handed him back. "Of course, I'm no princess, I might'n'tve been the right person to kiss him," she said, as though this was the normal thing people did when they came across pet toads.

"I don't know - I think you're very pretty, like a princess," Neville muttered the last part under his breath and his cheeks reddened. Harry shuffled his feet uncomfortably as Luna stared at Neville.

Suddenly a distraction arrived in the form of Dean and Seamus and Harry was saved from watching a very uncomfortable scene. They greeted one another, Seamus clapping Harry on the shoulders. "Alright mate?" he asked as Harry was put into another uncomfortable situation - Dean. Dean nodded his greeting to Harry.

"I'm alright, yeah, never better," he said as Seamus began to tell him about their summer. "I stayed at Dean's for a while, now he's staying with me, didn't tell his parents about this though, they managed to find out about all the ruckus within the school and the Ministry and such, didn't think they'd be to keen on him coming to the Fair. It's the best though, haven't missed it a summer since I've been at Hogwarts. How about you?"

"First time I've been. I'm staying with Ron and his family, they told me about it,"

"You're staying with Ginny?" Dean asked, the first time he'd spoken, Harry couldn't read the expression on his face.

"Er, yeah, yeah I am," he said standing his ground, even though Dean was a lot bigger and more threatening than Harry was himself.

"Good - she er...well...good." Dean said, nodding his head sharply. "I'd rather you than anyone else," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and refusing to look Harry in the face.

Harry exchanged looks with Seamus who shrugged and beamed over Harry's shoulder at Neville, who had been standing quietly behind Harry. They chatted for a few more minutes, catching up and filling in one another with details of their summers. Dean's demeanor towards Harry softened when he asked him about his football club and he launched into a detailed play-by-play of their last match, which West Ham had, satisfyingly to Dean, won. It was almost as though the tension between them over Ginny had never been there. Harry wasn't about to let Dean know he'd broken things off with Ginny though, he thought that was only a minor detail that Dean didn't need to be made aware of, so he kept his mouth shut when the subject of sports moved to that of the often hashed over subject of girls.

* * *

"Oh Ron, look!" Hermione said, pulling Ron along by the hand. He interrupted her before she could finish her comment.

"Y'know, I seem to remember you not liking being dragged everywhere by me this summer, suddenly it's alright?" he asked, an eyebrow raised skeptically.

"I can stop, if you'd like," she said, dropping his hand; he caught hers up in his again a moment later.

"That's not what I want, and you know it. Now what're we looking at?" he asked her, and followed her pointed finger to possibly the biggest attraction of the whole fair.

"The Big Wheel," she said, and turning to him flashed him a large grin. "Let's go for a ride," she said, heading in the direction of the brightly lit fair ground ride.

"Oh, you don't want to go on that, do you? I hear it's no fun,"

"It's romantic,"

"That's my point," he said, gulping as he took in just how big the ride was.

"Not chicken are you?" she said, giving him an innocent look, a look he knew was put on for him.

"No," he said, clenching his teeth and stepping up to the cashier box and asking for two tickets. He smiled grimly at the man behind the box and turned to Hermione to join the line.

Five minutes later, Ron was holding onto the handlebar of their carriage so tightly, his knuckles were white. Hermione looked at him with concern.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked as he took one hand off at a time to wipe his sweaty palms.

"N-nothing, nothing at all...is it over yet?" he asked, and gasped when they took off and began to rise into the air. "Merlin," he muttered, shutting his eyes.

"Shutting your eyes will only make it wo--oorse," Hermione said in somewhat of a sing song voice. He opened them, to see her leaning over the edge.

"Hermione! Don't do _that_!" he said, swinging an arm out against his better judgment and pushing her backwards into the seat.

"Ron, tell me what's going on, or I'll swing this thing," she said, knowing what his problem was the moment they'd sat down, but wanting him to admit it anyway.

"I don't like this ride, too high," he said, blowing out a breath.

"Too high...Ron, you fly! On a _broomstick_, I might add," Hermione said, laughing despite herself.

"I know, but I can control that! This is some...some bloody _wheel _that's suspended off the ground. We could die from this thing you know," he said, chancing a look over the side of the contraption.

"I'm sure it's perfectly safe." Hermione said, leaning forward again and Ron groaned. "It really bothers you doesn't it?" she said, surprised.

"I'm not acting like this for kicks," he said as he opened his eyes again. "I heard one of these things ran rampant once, came off the stand and rolled away, full of people! They were screaming for help and everything --"

"Who told you that?" Hermione scoffed and Ron reddened.

"Fred and George,"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "They were just taking the mickey out of you, that's all. I promise you it's safe,"

Ron felt she'd spoken too soon however as the machine lurched and they stopped; right at the top of the thing. Not near the ground where he could jump off, oh no, right at the sodding _top_, where he'd surely plunge to his early death.

"Ron look out at the scenery, it's simply lovely," Hermione said, snuggling into him. He blanched.

"Shouldn't we - balance our weight? It can't be good to be sitting on one side," he gently pushed Hermione away from him and she stared at him.

"Ron, you're being ridiculous," she said, folding her arms, the action causing the carriage to rock back and forth, slightly. She snorted, annoyed, and used her body weight to make it rock more, just to irritate him. He squeaked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

* * *

Harry wandered around the fair grounds with his friends, enjoying the different company for a while, though he was wondering where Ron and Hermione had gotten to and started when Seamus let out a barking laugh.

"What's so funny?" Neville asked from his right; Luna stood to his right, holding a conversation with Trevor. Harry had raised an eyebrow at this and Neville had shrugged, intent on her talking to Trevor as long as she wasn't making him uncomfortable.

"Look," Seamus said, pointing to the top of the Big Wheel. Harry looked up and noticed, in the top most carriage, Ron and Hermione. "Ron's bloody terrified of those things," he said, laughing all the more as they saw Hermione purposefully swinging back and forth, Ron had his hands clamped over his eyes.

"He is? He's never mentioned it to me," Harry said, feeling sorry for his best friend, but wondering why he'd really be bothered, surely it wasn't the whole heights thing. He did fly after all.

Seamus shrugged, "Got it out of him once when we were playing a game of truths," he said shaking his head. "Rotten luck that, getting stuck up there. How much d'you reckon the guy on the wheel would accept to keep them up there another half hour?" he asked, a maniacal glint in his eye. Harry shook his head, slightly amused.

"You wouldn't," Harry said, not entirely as convinced as his words sounded.

"Would," Seamus said, a serious look on his face, "If I didn't think Weasley would hunt me down and do me grievous bodily harm when he found out it was me," he said winking at Harry. "Hell of a temper, that one,"

"_Any_way," Dean said, rolling his eyes, "Didn't you want to meet up with Lavender?" he asked his best friend who nodded.

"Aye, I did, we'll see you 'round Harry, alright?" he said as he clapped Dean on the shoulder and they bid goodbye to Harry, Neville and Luna, who had wandered over to a stall selling Cotton Candy.

"Try some of this," she said to Neville and pulled off a handful and placed it in his mouth, completely unaware of how nervous she was making him. Harry grinned at him encouragingly and Neville swallowed.

"'S good," he said around a mouthful of it.

"So you don't think it's poisoned then?" Luna asked and Neville chocked, clutching his throat. "I thought it tasted vaguely of Nargle intestines," she muttered and looked at it closely.

"Nargle intestines...?" Neville muttered to himself, gagging slightly. Harry hid a smile.

* * *

Ginny ignored the loud music coming from outside the shop and checked her watch. It was nearing seven o'clock. Harry, Ron and Hermione would be here soon, she thought to herself and plastered on a smile as she served the people in the shop. The sad thing she noted was that this was the busiest they'd been in weeks, and it was one night, mere hours really.

More and more people offered their deepest regrets that the shop was closing and she tried her best to accept them, along with Mr and Mrs. Honeyduke, who exchanged sad looks with one another in between customers.

"We'll go out with a bang Ginny, don't you worry," Mr. Honeydukes told her, slinging an arm around her shoulders, and was rather surprised when she enveloped him in a hug. "There, now, cheer up child," he said, ruffling her hair. She drew back and gave him a watery smile.

She wondered if her friends were having fun and if they were on their way to see her yet, the Honeydukes had told her they wanted her to spend time with her friends before she was to witness the signing over of the shop. She knew they were secretly hoping that she'd be having so much fun with her friends that she'd forget about the signing over, and would miss it, and a lot of hurt.

She knew that wasn't going to happen, because she wasn't going to go off with Harry, Ron and Hermione when they came to collect her, simple as that. She wasn't silly and she wasn't a child. She was nearly of age and she could make her own decisions, and no one could stop her. Which was why when the door jingled merrily; she met her friends with a hard resolve.

* * *

Ron was glad to have his feet on solid ground again, so much that he sank to his knees once they touched down. Either that, Hermione mused, or he simply was in too much shock to walk straight away. She didn't miss his 'Thank Merlin!' comment as she dragged him to his feet and they met up with Harry who had seemingly said his goodbyes to Luna and Neville who were nowhere to be seen.

"Harry!" Hermione greeted him, a smile on her face.

"Have fun?" he asked, biting back a grin at the look on Ron's face.

"Oh yes, it was simply lovely. It's too bad Ron here couldn't enjoy the wonderful view," she said, rolling her eyes and Harry smiled.

"Alright Ron?" he asked, clapping a hand on his best friend's shoulder; Ron swayed and placed his own hand on Harry's shoulder for balance. Hermione frowned.

"You're not really that bad are you?" she said, sounding concerned.

"I'm fine. Just...need to sit down," he said, sinking into a bench that appeared in front of them at the right moment. "That's better," he said, wiping his forehead. Hermione sat next to him.

"I'm sorry for teasing you, I really didn't think you were that scared--"

"Not scared."

"Terrified then?" Harry asked, looking down at the two of them. Ron made a rude hand gesture at him.

"Stuff it Potter," he said as he stood up again. "Time to go see Ginny?" he asked, walking in the direction of the shop without waiting for an answer.

It took them a good ten minutes longer to get to Honeyduke's than it normally took, due to the extra people traffic in the streets, friends from Hogwarts stopped them, they ran onto Remus and Tonks, who Harry knew had probably been following them all night, though he found that he didn't really mind, he was enjoying himself far too much to be bothered by their presence, besides, he'd rather it was them following him and his friends than strangers.

They opened the door of the shop, half expecting Ginny to be ready to go with them, but none of them were surprised to see her still standing behind the cashregister, still with her apron on.

"Ready to come with us Ginny?" Hermione asked, practically running over to her best friend and leaning her forearms on the counter. "It's ever so bright and full of life out there," she said, grinning at Ginny.

"As opposed to in here, you mean?" she asked, her voice quite cold. Hermione's smile was wiped off her face.

"No! That's not what I meant at all, Ginny. We just thought you'd like to come out for a bit, if that's alright?" she asked, looking to the shop owners for consent. They nodded enthusiastically.

"You're not getting rid of me," Ginny said, standing her ground, jaw set.

"Go out with your friends Ginny, we daresay you've been spending a lot of time here, the fair is a time for fun, for enjoying one's self," Mrs. Honeyduke said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I want to be here, not out there, not where no one cares what's going to happen here,"

"Ginny, we care," Harry said, coming up to stand next to Hermione, "We just want you to try and enjoy yourself too, that's all. We promise you can come back here as soon as you want too," he said, offering her what he obviously thought was a placating smile. She stared at him.

"I really don't want -- Ron! Put me down, I'll hex you!" Ginny cried as her feet left the ground and Ron carried her bodily through the shop.

"You're underage. You can't do a bloody thing - stop kicking me!" he said as he pulled her hair in retaliation. "We'll have her back by eight fifteen," Ron called over his shoulder and left the shop, only putting Ginny down once they were three shops away.

"You git - you had no right to do that!" Ginny said angrily, turning around, apparently intent on going back to Honeydukes. Harry stopped her with a hand on her shoulder however.

"Look, Ginny, I know you don't want to be out here with us, and that's fine, but don't you think you should give the Honeydukes a little time and space?" Harry asked, afraid to look at her as he wasn't sure what she might do. They still hadn't spoken about the night before when he'd been forced to escort Ginny to her room.

She stood looking at him now, apparently thinking over what he'd said. "I suppose you're right. It can't hurt to have a look around here, I guess," she said, following in Hermione's footsteps, putting a great deal of distance between Harry and herself.

Ron waited until Harry caught up with him. "Alright?" Harry nodded. "She's been a handful lately, sorry you've been at the receiving end of some of it." he said and Harry shrugged.

"It means a lot to her,"

"It does, and so do you, but she's still been a bit short with you mate. When are you going to tell her you made a mistake about ending things with her?"

"What? I wasn't? What makes you think...?" Harry stuttered and stumbled, looking at his friend.

"You don't have to be noble, Harry, none of us expect it from you, least of all Ginny,"

Harry stood still as he watched his friends walking from stall to stall, examining the different wares to be found, Ginny even had a small smile on her face, but her hands were stuck deep in her pockets as she nodded absently at something Hermione was showing her.

Harry stared at her. What did Ron want him to say? He couldn't go back on his word to Ginny could he? He'd ended things for her protection, but she herself had told him that it wouldn't matter if they were together or not - Voldemort knew plenty about the Weasley family and would target them whatever the reason.

Scowling, he joined them and feigned interest as Ron showed him a replica of his Firebolt. "Only two Galleons, Harry, whadda ya reckon?"

* * *

Half an hour later, Harry found himself standing with Ginny who was tossing rings onto revolving sticks. She never missed a one, though she looked rather bored whilst she did it. Harry had taken her to play the side shows whilst Ron and Hermione had decided to try out some of the fair rides closer to the ground.

"And the little lady wins a prize! Take your pick," he said, indicating a range of toys behind himself. Harry wasn't looking, but whipped his head back when he heard Ginny giggle - something she definitely hadn't done in the last two days or so.

"Here," she said, thrusting a stuffed toy at him.

"Isn't it supposed to be the guy that wins the girl the...hey, wait a minute, this is _me_!" he said, and sure enough, looking down at the plush toy in his hands, he saw thick glasses and a crudely sewn scar down the middle of the dolls head, under a mop of ridiculously messy hair. "Shouldn't they have to have my permission for things like this?" he asked, somewhat angrily as he handed it back to Ginny.

She laughed. "Oh, lighten up, it bears a striking resemblance, don't you think?" holding the doll up alongside Harry's head. He swatted it away, giving her a sarcastic smile.

"You wouldn't find it funny if it were you," he muttered and she rolled her eyes.

"No, but then again, I haven't done anything as outrageous as you have. I wonder what sorts of things you have to do to get yourself a plush doll..." she said, inspecting the doll.

"Give me that," Harry said, plucking it from her grip and making to toss it in a nearby trash can, but Ginny seized it from him again.

"Hey! I won that, fair and square. Just because you don't like it,"

"Fred and George'll roast me alive if you keep that thing," he said, having scarring visions of the doll version of himself sitting on Ginny's bed where the twins could easily gain access to it.

"Precisely," she said, giggling and jumping out of his reach and Harry felt suddenly as though Ginny had been like this all summer. Sadly, she hadn't.

Harry chased her, darting in and out of couples and families, finally coming to stop in front of Ron and Hermione who were looking skyward. "What're you two looking at?" he asked as he and Ginny joined them again.

"Just the lovely architecture of the buildings," Hermione said in a soft voice, looking up overhead, where the buildings were lit up in the night sky.

"They're really not that fascinating," Ron said, looking up much like Hermione was, but not with a peaceful look on his face. He merely shrugged at Harry who shrugged back.

"I guess they're nice in their own old way," he said and Hermione looked at him, a slight frown on her face.

"Too right they're old, it's got to be magic holding these ruins up,"

"Ron, they're not _ruins_, no matter how old they are - I expect they're protected from..." Hermione trailed off, and her eyes widened as she looked back and forth between Harry and Ron. They widened even further as she looked at Ginny.

"Hermione, what is it?" Ron looked at Harry as he placed a hand on her shoulder as she began muttering to herself.

"Oh my goodness, how could we have--? They'll never be able to...oh but how can we--?"

"Hermione?" Harry asked, waving a hand in front of her face, her eyes seemed to be glazed over in thought.

"Yes?"

"What are you muttering about?" Harry asked and she jumped.

"No time to explain, I have to...I can...but now? Yes. I'll be right back!" she said before she apparated out of sight.

The three friends stared at one another.

"What, is _this_?" Ron's voice came from behind them, as he plucked the 'Harry' replica from Ginny's arms. "Oh Merlin, that's just wrong."

Ginny ignored him. "Where's Hermione gone?"

"You were here too, you know just as much as I do - which, obviously, is nothing." Ron said, poking at the plush Harry's nose.

"Would you stop that?" Harry asked, "Hermione does that a lot. She doesn't like to explain things until she's sure."

"Oh Harry, do you think she's managed to...?"

"I don't know, anything's possible, it's Hermione, come on," he tugged the doll Harry from Ron and tossed it into a garbage can as they took off running to the shop.

* * *


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: The last one guys, as this is the last chapter of The Sweetest Thing. I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to review my story as it means a lot to me. It's why I write, to get feedback from others and I thrive on that feedback, so thankyou, once again, you've all made my day. To those of you who have been reading and not reviewing, shame on you. Not just to me, but to other authors out there. There's nothing better than opening up your inbox to find reviews from people telling you what they think of your work. That said, take the time to review the stories you read. It may seem insignificant to you, but rest assured, the author will thank you for it, even if they don't come out and say that they appreciated your thoughts.

That said, Enjoy.

* * *

The Sweetest Thing

Chapter 9

* * *

The minutes ticked by slowly once Harry, Ron and Ginny had arrived back at Honeydukes. Ginny spent her time pacing around the shop, pulling tightly at the arms on the replica Harry doll – which she'd rescued from the rubbish bin as they headed back to the sweetshop. Harry had frowned at this, and Ginny merely shrugged, claiming stress relief as she poked at it and prodded it. Harry wasn't sure whether to be offended that she was using a replica of him to distress herself, or to be humbled that he could relieve her of stress. He thought he ought to be offended.

"Oh where is she?" Ginny asked for the fifth time in the time space of ten minutes. Harry shrugged at her, feeling useless as he couldn't provide an answer.

Ron was pacing back and forth in front of a display of Sugar Quills, one sticking out from between his teeth. "She should be back by now, right?" he asked Harry who shrugged restlessly.

"I'd have thought so, but I'm sure she'll be back really soon," he said, adding the last bit for Ginny's benefit. She was sitting on a small stool now, Harry doll sitting in her lap. She looked beyond worried.

"What if she just…ran off to the loo or something?" Ginny asked, all rationale gone.

"She's been gone an hour, Ginny. I know you girls take a long time in the bathroom, but no one takes an hour," Ron said, giving his sister an odd look.

They lapsed back into silence, looking around the now deserted shop. Harry checked his watch; it was nearing eight fifteen. The Malfoy's would be along soon, he hoped Hermione beat them there, with an explanation as to why she'd run off like she had. It didn't look good though, all the people outside the shop windows were hurrying past on their way to shops either side, none of them sparing a particular care for the shop that once held the interest of every passer-by. Word had spread that the shop was closing and those who were sweet tooths had already stocked up on all the sweets they wanted.

All three teenagers looked up as the bells above the shop jingled, expecting to see Hermione, but were met with the sight of Luna who looked quite happy – a stark contrast to the others in the shop.

"There you all are. I got distracted with Neville and when I went to find you again, you'd gone." She said, walking through the shop to stand next to Ginny. "Hello, Ginny," she said, enveloping her friend in a sudden hug. Ginny hugged back, slightly surprised, but it was obvious to see she had other things on her mind.

"Hey Luna, how are you,"

"I'm quite well, as I told you in my last letter. Has the signing over of the shop happened yet?" she asked bluntly, looking around at all the long faces.

"No," Ginny said frowning, "Soon,"

"Right. Where's Hermione? I thought she'd be here for this,"

"She's run off somewhere, we're waiting for her to come back," Ron said, handing Luna a Sugar Quill. She took it and popped it in her mouth with no further comment.

The door opened again, but this time instead of it being a friend entering, it was in fact, a foe.

"Well, well well, it's this cozy?" Draco Malfoy asked, standing on the threshold of the shop, looking around at the shop's occupants, a large smirk on his face. Ginny decided he looked far too happy for the events that were about to unfold.

"Shove it Malfoy," Ginny said, watching as he walked around the shop as though he already owned it.

"Good evening Mr. Malfoy," Mr. Honeyduke said, trying to sound somewhat welcoming, but failing and sounding more afraid of Malfoy than his old House-Elf Dobby had.

Ginny stood her ground; she wasn't about to let Malfoy believe he scared everyone he met. He knew it too, he sneered at her as she stood with her hands on her hips, glaring solely at him.

"Calm down, Weasley, I haven't even done anything yet," he said, smoothing down his robes.

"Done anything? _Done anything_? You're prepared to buy out a business from one of the most loving couples I know, and ruin their lives. They live for this shop Draco, it isn't just their shop, they take pride in what they do,"

"That's a heart wrenching story and all, but I don't have time for stories of the little people. Mother and I are purchasing this shop because we own most of Hogsmeade now – we're merely adding to our collection."

"I loathe you," Ginny said, her eyes narrowing further.

"Duly noted, but I really don't care,"

"Do you have a heart at all?" Ginny asked, sounding somewhat hysterical now.

Draco merely stared at her, and shaking his head, produced a scroll of parchment. "Mr. Honeyduke, if you'd sign this, then we can be on our way out of here. Please, do hurry," Draco said as he slapped the scroll down on the counter and proceeded to walk around the shop, looking disdainfully down at the displays Ginny had painstakingly set up to advertise the sweet shop's finest.

"Once this shop is demolished, Malfoy Inn shall be built upon it. One of the finest Wizard dwellings in Britain."

"An _Inn_? A _Malfoy Inn_? No one will want to stay in something that's got your name plastered all over it," Ginny said, sneering at him.

"No one of your caliber, no. Only purebloods will be allowed admittance," Draco said, lifting his nose into the air.

"Oh! If your head was stuck any further up your –"

"Ginny, dear!"

"—you-know-where, you wouldn't be able to walk straight,"

"Tell me Potter, do her annoying diatribes irritate you as much as they irritate me?"

"You shut up talking about my sister like that," Ron said, advancing on Malfoy for the first time since his entering the shop.

"Oh, so two of the many Weasels are here tonight. I didn't even see _you_, standing over there like a wall flower. Why couldn't you have stayed there?" he asked, looking at Ron with a foul look upon his face.

"If anyone's – what did you call them? - _Diatribes_ are irritating Malfoy, yours are." Harry said, standing up, his fingers inching towards his wand. Malfoy noticed.

"It's so…sad the way you all jump to each others defense when one of you is threatened," Draco said as he too reached for his wand just as Harry was doing.

Mrs. Honeyduke was standing beside her husband as his eyes flicked back and forth across the parchment, reading the terms and conditions of signing their shop over to the Malfoy's.

Narcissa stood by the back wall, watching all the proceedings with an unreadable expression upon her face. Though she looked ready and able to enter into anything dangerous that might involve her son.

"It's all in there. Everything you've agreed to. There's no nasty little surprises," Draco said, strolling casually back to the counter.

"Of – of course. We wouldn't expect there to be," Mr. Honeyduke said, a strained smile upon his face.

"We have to wait for Hermione, Mr. Honeyduke, please," Ginny said, stepping up to her boss and resting a comforting hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry, Ginny. We can't wait any longer. We can't keep the Malfoys' waiting,"

"Hear that Weasel? I'd appreciate it if you didn't keep me waiting,"

Ginny glared at him then bit her lip, looking back out towards the rest of the fair, hoping for a glance of Hermione, but to no avail. The street was so busy it was impossible to determine one person from the next. Ginny turned back to face Mr. Honeyduke; tears stinging her eyes.

His Quill was poised above the parchment contract when the door of the shop burst open, banging loudly against the wall.

"Stop! Mr. Honeyduke, do _not_ sign that contract!"

Hermione stood in the doorway, her hair wild about her shoulders as though she'd just run a long way. She looked rather impressive standing silhouetted in the doorway. All heads in the room swiveled to look at her.

"Unless you have some very good news Hermione, I'm afraid I must." He dipped the Quill in the inkbottle on the counter and stood poised with it above the parchment.

"Oh but I do," she said, bent over slightly, trying to catch her breath. "Honeydukes is Heritage Listed,"

* * *

All the eyes in the shop swiveled to stare at Hermione, Ron's mouth even hung open. "You can buy it," she said, giving Malfoy and his mother a rather superior look. "I don't know what you have instore for this lovely building, but you cannot change anything about it. It's on the Ministry's list of Heritage buildings."

Ginny ran at Hermione and enveloped her in a large hug, muttering something sounding like "Thankyou, thankyou!" over and over. Hermione laughed, hugging Ginny back. "He wants to turn it into, wait for it, "Malfoy Inn."

Hermione smirked. "Not in this lifetime, I'm afraid. You can't make any differences to the building,"

"I'm sure you're mistaken," Malfoy said, striding forward and snatching up the piece of parchment in her hand, reading it, his eyes flicking back and forth over the parchment, his face reddening more and more the further he read on.

"I believe it is _you _who is mistaken, Draco," Ginny said, barely able to contain her excitement as she stood next to Hermione.

"I—"

"Get out, Malfoy," Ron said, stepping up behind Hermione and Ginny and placing a hand on both of their shoulders.

"You can't tell me what to do!" He cried indignantly, turning to face his mother. She too stepped forward and spoke so quietly a hush fell over the room.

"Come now Draco, we needn't be in these people's company any longer,"

"But mother, I—"

"Come, Draco,"

"Just because we can't knock this pile of rubble even further into the ground, doesn't mean you get to stay happy, Weasley. The Honeydukes still have to sell, even if it isn't to me. As long as you're miserable, that's enough for me," Draco sneered right in Ginny's face and watched happily as his words sunk in and her smile fell from her face.

He left the shop in a swirl of robes, following his mother.

The remaining people in the shop burst into excited chatter, most of it centering around Hermione.

"How'd you find out about that?" Harry asked her, clapping her appreciatively on the back. Hermione blushed.

"Well, it was Ron, really, making his comment about 'old buildings'. I just knew there had to be something within the Ministry to protect these kinds of buildings. They're held up by magic and protected by it too. A strong protective spell runs through these buildings and makes it illegal to change their appearance in anyway. I didn't think Draco was likely to want to keep the building as is, so that was my only hope of thwarting his plans,"

"Thwarting indeed," Ginny said, spinning around the shop, her happiness evident on her features. "It's almost too good to be true," she said, laughing.

Mr. and Mrs. Honeyduke stood side by side, smiling grimly. "It is Ginny; don't you remember what young Mr. Malfoy said? We still can't afford to keep the shop; we're still going to sell,"

"Oh but, isn't there some way you could--?" he shook his head.

"No, I'm afraid not. Unless some Magical miracle comes along in the next day, we're surrendering the shop over to the Ministry," Mrs. Honeyduke said, closing Ginny in a hug tight against her chest.

"It's just not fair," she said, sounding suspiciously like she might be sniffling.

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged sad glances, feeling sorry for Ginny. "Ginny, do…do you want to come back out with us and celebrate the fact that Malfoy lost?" Hermione asked tentively, afraid Ginny would snap at her.

She sniffed. "Sure, alright. Nothing more to be done here, right?" she said, not waiting for an answer and pushed open the door of the shop with a little more force than was necessary.

Hermione smiled sympathetically at the Honeydukes before she, Harry and Ron followed Ginny out of the shop and down the street.

* * *

"That went well," Ron said five minutes later in an undertone to Hermione who sighed.

"I thought it might have cheered her up a little," she said, walking alongside him, their hands joined.

"She's being ungrateful. It must have taken a bit of persuasion to get anyone to give you that information at this time of night," Ron said, looking down at her as she nodded.

"There was a young assistant who was only too happy to help. Of course, it took me half an hour before I came across him. Everyone else was most unhelpful."

"I'll bet. You did a really nice thing, Hermione; Ginny doesn't deserve you as a friend half the time,"

"Oh yes she does, she's just upset is all. It's to be expected. Though I do wish she hadn't gotten her hopes up so much, poor thing," she said as Ron nodded beside her.

Ahead of them Harry and Ginny were walking together, Harry his hands in his pockets, Ginny hers swinging loosely at her sides. She was looking around at the buildings with a soft smile upon her face, feeling slightly placated by the fact that Malfoy wouldn't be the one to ruin the Honeydukes lives. Harry looked at her out of the corner of his eye, relieved to see a smile upon her face even if it didn't fully reach her eyes.

"You…ah want to take a ride on the Big Wheel with me?" Harry asked her, casting his gaze skywards at the now brightly lit fairground ride. Ginny followed his gaze.

"Maybe later, Harry, I just don't really feel like it right now," she said, offering him an apologetic smile. He nodded in response.

Just then had they chosen to speak further to one another, their conversation would have been drowned out. Someone had apparently cast 'Sonorus' and was yelling to get everyone's attention at the foot of the Big Wheel. Once Ron and Hermione caught up with them, they made their way over and discovered a make-shift stage had been set up and Rufus Scrimgeour was standing behind a wooden podium, looking thoroughly out of place.

"May I please have your attention? No, Jenkins, I haven't seen your cat," here he cleared his throat. "It has come to be that time of the night, yes that time," he said as several witches standing at the front of the podium gasped. "That time you've all been waiting for –"

"Bit full of himself isn't he?" Ron whispered to Hermione who trod on his foot to quiet him. "Now really! That wasn't necessary," he said, hobbling on one foot.

"The village of Hogsmeade has come to the conclusion that one of it's finest shops has been struggling of late and wracked their brains on what they could possibly do to help, and remained unsure of how to help, until preparations for the Fair began."

Ginny who had been feigning interest until Harry nudged her, suddenly stood on her tip-toes; hanging on Scrimgeour's every word. "Did he just say--?" she asked, hoping she wasn't hearing things. She placed one hand on both Harry and Ron's shoulders, and jumped, hoping to gain some sort of height advantage, until Ron, rolling his eyes, hefted her slight frame up and onto his shoulders, where she had a clear view of the stage. Laughing, she ruffled Ron's hair appreciatively. "Thanks, now shush," she said to him, even though he hadn't said a word.

Scrimgeour continued, talking for far longer than he needed too, in Ginny's opinion. She just wanted him to get on with it. "Without our further ado, I'd like to invite Marvin and Anna Honeyduke up here with me. Marvin, Anna? Can you hear me?"

Ginny looked around wildly, searching for the familiar faces and saw them a few rows behind her. Quite a crowd had gathered behind them. She whistled loudly, catching their attention and giving them an exaggerated thumbs up. Anna's hands were at her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. It had to mean something good, surely.

Marvin and Anna climbed the temporary stairs and stood either side of the Minister, looking out to the crowd, smiling nervously. Madam Rosmerta suddenly appeared next to Anna and seemed to be holding a large commemorative plaque.

"We, the shop owners of Hogsmeade would like to offer you the complete takings from tonight's fair, under the condition that you do not sell your shop, and that you stay here in Hogsmeade with us, for many years to come," Rosmerta held out the plaque to Marvin and Anna promptly burst into loud, carrying tears. Rosmerta stepped forward and pulled the older woman into a hug, laughing gently.

It was Ginny, however, who had the most memorable reaction. She scrambled down from Ron's shoulders, and took it upon herself to run up the stairs and hurtle herself at her two newest favourite people. They laughed and hugged her back, showing her the plaque. She grinned.

"I suppose this is that Magical Miracle you were talking about earlier?" she asked, tears of happiness flowing down her cheeks. "Oh this is _brilliant_!" she said, laughing giddily.

"If I didn't know better Ginny, I'd almost say you are happier than we are,"

"Aren't you happy?" she asked, her face falling.

"Of course, we just don't have the energy of a fifteen year old girl to be celebrating with."

Ginny grinned at them. "So now you can keep the shop open!"

"Only if you'll continue to work with us," Anna said, wiping the still falling tears from her cheeks.

"You know I will," Ginny said, laughing with relief.

"Now, go, have fun with your friends. Scoot,"

"I'm already gone!" she said, jumping down from the front of the stage, into the dispersing crowd.

She easily found Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were standing there and looking far more wonderful than they had in a long time. She enveloped Hermione in a hug and thanked her properly for going to the trouble of stopping Draco Malfoy from buying the Honeyduke's pride and joy. She started towards Ron to hug him and thought better of it, jumping up to mess up his hair again instead. He made a face at her and tugged on her hair to get even, or so he said. She turned toward Harry and grinned, a real genuine grin. Something he hadn't seen on her face for a very long time.

"How about that ride on the Big Wheel, Harry?" she asked, taking his hand and dragging him toward the ride anyway. He looked back at Ron and Hermione who grinned at him. Hermione clasped her hands together and smiled. Harry rolled his eyes and stumbled after Ginny.

Minutes later they found them sitting in one of the carriages. "Life is so wonderful, isn't it Harry?" she asked, her grin still in place; it didn't look like it was ever going to leave her face any time soon.

He laughed. He enjoyed seeing her happy like this. She was herself again. He'd wondered if she'd ever get back to being the happy-go-lucky person she really was. Thankfully she had and her grin was infectious. "Right now, I'd say it was pretty wonderful, sure,"

They rode in silence for a few minutes, enjoying one another's company. "It feels like things are coming to a close. This summer's gone so quickly, hasn't it I wish it wasn't over. I feel like I've hardly spent any time with you," she said, mildly thinking how at the beginning of the summer she wanted to stay as far away from Harry as she could manage.

"Well you've had other things on your mind," he said shrugging, swinging the carriage of the ride slightly.

"Yes, but that's no excuse to have shut you out like I have. I'm sorry," she said, placing a hand on his arm. He looked down at her arm and smiled slightly.

"Having said that, we've come a long way this summer, haven't we?" she smiled.

"We have," he felt there was more she wanted to say, but was holding back. He called her on it.

"Ginny?" she sighed. Wondering if she should say what she was thinking. Looking down on the Fair she felt free, like her words wouldn't have their normal consequences.

"I just wish that you weren't going to – well you know. I wish I could come with you,"

"I told you Ginny, it's dang—"

"I know, I _know_, I just wish you didn't have to go. It's selfish I know, I just wish I could have you with me always is all,"

"Really, why?" he asked before he could stop himself.

"Harry, you and me, I think we help each other. You make me happy, and I think…I think I might make you happy too, and if that's all I can do for you, then I want to be able too, I can't do that if you're off fighting and I'm stuck at home,"

Harry reddened at her words. "You do make me happy, happier than anyone. I wish I could have you by my side during this, but I can't, I just _can't_. I'm not even thrilled by the fact that Ron and Hermione are coming with me. And you won't be stuck at home; you'll be at Hogwarts again soon,"

"It won't be the same without you, any of you," she said, sniffling.

"Hey, Ginny don't cry, please. Tonight's your night; you deserve to enjoy yourself,"

"Only if I get to enjoy it with you, and if you'll let me," she said, hooking her arm through his and leaning her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her shoulder, choosing to ignore the feeling he was getting that he shouldn't be doing so.

Just for tonight, tonight he could feel like this, tonight he'd let himself feel everything for Ginny that he needed too.

* * *

_Fin_


End file.
